the dead walking
by CristinaMortiva
Summary: Jessi, Rick's sister, is trying to survive the new world as long as she can. When the dead started to rise she did not expect to find love but did from an unlikely source. Follows the events of Season 1 Daryl/OC Please Read and Review
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Jessi stood outside the door of her brother's house and rang the doorbell. The door opened with Carl standing there. "Mom, Dad, Aunt Jessi is here." Carl said loudly.

"You have gotten taller since your birthday." She said messing up his hair.

"So, what did ya bring me?" he asked eagerly pulling at the Christmas gift bag.

"You will have to wait till later today to find out."

Rick came to the door next, "Look who it is, Miss New York City."

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?"

"Way too many," he said coming over to give her a hug.

"I missed you and Carl."

"What about me?" Lori said

"I was getting to you," Jessi said coming over and gave her a hug as well.

"Come on in Jessi, the guest room is set up for ya already." Rick said.

"I still have a bag or two in the car. Come on kid help me out." She said putting down the gift bag and bringing him along so he would not look inside.

Carl and Jessi went to her car and brought a few more bags in.

Right before dinner Shane arrived, "Hey Miss Big Apple," he said giving her a hug.

"Rick is this where these names came from?"

"Yes," Rick said

"Hey, way to take sides," Shane said.

"She is ma sister," Rick said looking at the tall slender twenty six years old.

"Yes she Rick's baby sister," Shane said mocking her.

"Hey," she said punching him in the arm.

"Rick, its gone." Shane said.

"What's gone?" she said confused looking between her brother and his best friend.

"Your accent,"

"I did not come all this way to be harassed by my brother and his friend."

"Come on y'all dinner is ready," Lori said trying to rescue her sister in law for the time being.

After dinner Jessi passed out two presents to Carl opened them as quick as he could possibly could. Inside one was a robot and the other one was the game he wanted.

"Thank ya," he said and started playing with them right away.

"Rick, Carl, Lori, Shane I have some good news."

"Please, tell me ya are not leaving the country?" Rick asked because this is how she always started when she was leaving a place.

"No, I'm staying in the United States."

"There is a job opening in a hospital….."

"Jessi where is this job," Rick said.

"I'm getting to that Rick, have some patience will you and it is here in Cynthiana,"

"What? Really Aunt Jessica? Really?" Carl said

"Yes, I have my last interview tomorrow and if all goes as plan I will be back in Tennessee before the beginning of next year."

Rick had no words right now and he was happy that she was coming back to her hometown.

"I thought you loved New York City?" Shane asked.

"I do but it has a lot of bad memories for me."

4 months later

Jessica was putting away files around the nurse stations when Rick came in. He motioned to the other nurses and doctors not to say anything. He snuck behind her and poked her in the ribs.

Jessica spun around and punched him right in the stomach.

"Hey, no fair," he said trying to catch his breath. "I should know by now not to come up behind ya but it is still way to fun."

"So what do you want?" she asked him adding a file to the M's.

"Can't a brother come and surprise his little sister?"

"Yes but if he knew what was good for him he should not sneak up on her."

"It will always be a big brother's job to torture his little sister. Come on want to go have lunch?"

"I just ate an hour ago."

"Oh, then are you coming to Sunday dinner this week."

"Yes, I'm not working a double shift this weekend so definitely yes."

"Nurse Grimes please come to room 411." A voice came over the loud speaker saying that.

"I have to go I'm being paged. See you Sunday by Rick."

"Bye," he said tipping his hat getting her to laugh as she walked away

He saw his sister walk over to the steps to run up the stairs. The patient was somebody who had the flu. 'Flu season must be starting early this year.' She thought.

Within the next few days three new patients came in with these weird colds. Jessi looked exhausted and run was running off of coffee and a few hours of sleep she got between shifts. Her stomach had started to hurt and she prayed that she was not getting sick like all most all the other doctors and nurses.

She picked up her third cup of coffee and took a sip when on the police scanner there was a call out saying that three men are dead and the Sherriff's deputy has been shot. She immediately spit out the coffee all of the doctor standing next to her.

"What? No!" she said getting up out of her chair and running to the ER. She did not think about anything other than her brother. She had to go down and check to make sure it was not her brother or Shane.

The doctor who she spit her coffee said, "That Sherriff's deputy must be important to her?"

A nurse that knew her said, "Her brother is a Sherriff's deputy."

She ran down the steps two at a time until she reached the ER department. She got their right as they were bringing him on a cart that was being pushed past her. It was Rick. She followed them to a set of doors when another nurse, Jannie, stopped her.

Jannie said, "You can't go in there,"

"But he—e is my brother," she said sobbing.

"Come on you need to sit down," she said trying to bring her over to the waiting room.

"No Jannie I'm O positive blood type I need to give blood to him,"

"When was the last time you gave?" she asked trying to do this all correctly.

"Two months ago I'm allegeable,"

They went to a room and Jannie drew the blood out of Rick's sister. After they were done Jannie stayed near Jessi so she would not try to run into the operating room. About twenty minutes later Shane, Lori, and Carl arrived.

Shane rushed to Jessi who was sitting in nurse scrubs realizing that she had to be here when the call went out and he gave her a hug. Carl and

Lori soon followed them, "Is there anything we can do?" Lori asked her and Shane asked her, "Do you know anything,"

"He has lost a lot of blood and I just gave to him about twenty minutes. He is in the hands of our best surgeon here. He will be fine," she said especially to Carl who had sat down right next to her.

Five hours later Doctor Laggens came out of the room. Jessi who had been watching the door like the hawk after its meal and she stood up and ran to the Doctor.

"Nurse Grimes," he said.

Carl asked him, "Is he alive?" with tears coming down his face.

"Yes he is but he has lost a lot of blood luckily his sister was here to donate right away. He is in a recovery room right now," Jessi could tell by the way he spoke that was not going to say something in front of Carl.

"Carl, go over to the seats," she said, "your father is fine,"

After Carl was away from ear shot he continued. "He went into a coma and there is nothing more we can do for him but he is stable," he said walking away.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The following week things turned crazy

A woman came into the hospital with bites and scratches all over her body. She was in shock and no one could get anything out of her. Jessi tested her for rabies because a doctor had ordered it and the test had come back negative. When she went in to change her bandages the patient was dead.

Jessi called for the morgue people to come take the body.

Jessi needed some air she hated walking into a room and find a patient dead and this was the third time it happened in her career. She walked to the room that had her brother in.

She opened the door and noticed that Shane was there. "Hey," he said.

She nodded went over washed her hands and put on some gloves. She walked over and started checking his vitals. She knew she really should not be doing this but she did it anyways for her brother.

Over the loud speaker came, "Security to the Morgue," she looked up at Shane who did not move and then continued taking her brother's blood pressure. Five minutes later, "Security to the Morgue," came again over the loud speaker.

"Jessi, come show me to the morgue," Shane said getting up for he thought he better go check it out just to make sure nothing is going on.

They were walking down the steps and when they arrived at the morgue the patient that Jessi who sworn that she was dead was leaning over gnawing on a security officer like he was a turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

Shane pulled out his gun and started firing at the women in the chest but she did not go down.

"Shoot at the head," Jessi screamed.

He did what she had told him to do and the women fell backwards and stopped moving.

Jessi rushed over to the bodies of three security guards and a mortician she checked each of their pulses and they were all gone. They each had similar wounds or bite marks on the major arteries.

She looked back at Shane and asked, "What was that?"

"I have no idea."

Within the next week everything changed, the thing that Shane killed was actually dead and he and a few other cops had to put down the others that were bit. First, the military came and ordered the hospital employees and Sherriff's department not to say anything to anyone else. As the days continued to past the dead kept walking and the military had set up a base near the hospital.

Jessi had seen and did many things and she started to carry around her old fiancé's gun for her own protection. Shane had told her to pack that they were going to Atlanta as soon as the hospital life flights her brother to Atlanta in two days.

On the first day Jessi made the last run around her apartment. She had already been packed since the first day they had heard of the camp in Atlanta over a few weeks ago.

She was lucky that she lived alone and could easily part with her stuff. It also helped that she was an experienced hiker/backpacker so she had enough gear and clothes to take with her. She cleaned out her medicine cabinet and grabbed all the can goods and other spices and ingredients in her cabinets that she could use at medicine she had and put those into a box. She then went and grabbed everything she had from med-school and took that with her lastly she grabbed her fiancé's gun case and all the ammunition she had and put it in a bag. The last thing she did before she walked out the door never to return again was go to her desk and grab a new five hundred page notebook.

Shane made Jessi stay with Lori and Carl when he went to get Rick out of the hospital.


	3. Chapter 3:Ticks

Chapter 3: Ticks

Shane came back without Rick and said, "He's dead," and then rushed all three of them into the car and put all their stuff in as well. They were headed to Atlanta.

Jessi could not believe her ears that her brother was dead. She looked at Lori and Carl. Cary was crying loudly and Shane just kept driving toward Atlanta. She wanted to comfort her nephew but could not find the words. Jessi grabbed the notebook out of her bag and a pen. She began her new journal with Rick is dead.

That is when things around her started to fly by and she began to shut down.

She did not remember how but Lori, Shane, Carl, and her had been warned not to enter the city and they went to a quarry close to the city though.

She began to show some signs of getting over the death and helped her nephew do his chores. Jessi also became the full time medical personal at the camp and little by little the group of survivors grew. As being the only person trained in medicine everyone came to her for any minor cut or bruise. She smiled once realizing that there were four kids in the group of survivors but life continued to past by her.

She barely ate, sleep, or drank the only thing she did was help clean wounds, chores, write in her journal, and walk into the woods and cry. She made a promise to herself not to cry in front of Carl and she did her best to keep her promise. She had family but she was slowly slipping away from them.

One night at dinner, Shane made her go to and watch her eat whatever he had put on her plate she announced to everyone loudly that, "Tomorrow starting bright and early I want to see every last one of you. I have found a tick on my person and I _will_ check every last one of you to see if you have any."

Everybody around her stared at her for they all thought she was mute. "Well goodnight then," she said standing up and going over to her own private tent.

One of the survivors, Amy, said, "So she really isn't a mute."

"No," Carl said. "She lost her brother my dad and she could do nothing to save him and she blames herself."

"She is just going through a hard time I remember when she lost her dog she did not speak for a month not to anybody. She'll be fine once the news sets in." Shane said for it had only been four days that she found out her brother was dead.

"Everyone is going through a tough time," Glenn said.

"I'm just happy that she eating," Lori said.

The very next morning Jessi had hung three sheets up in a tree for a little privacy. Shane was the first person to come around and he smiled at her and she just blinked her eyes and said, "Shane take off all your clothes except for your underwear."

"Yes, ma'am," he said trying to get her to smile.

"Don't call me Ma'am I'm not your mother," she said not smiling.

"Have you been feeling any better?"

"A little, hanging out with Carl and writing helps."

Shane continued to look at her and she said, "I'm just going through the five stages of grief. That's it and you remember me with Lucy's death," Lucy was her dog.

"You know that I did everything I could to save him I kept thinking the whole time maybe I should of brought you along. I wish that I did now."

"We can't change the past no matter how much we want too," she said. "That means your socks too."

"You are okay? Then?

"I'm dealing with the death and what happened at the hospital in my own way?. I'll be fine, Shane, there is still some hope here I'm reminded that every day when I see the four children still alive."

She turned around and then said, "Sit," since he was taller than him. He sat down in the chair.

"I have to check your whole body," she said starting with his hair.

She grabbed a pair of gloves out of her pocket and begun searching his whole body finding no ticks and she let him go. She continued with Carl next. She checked his whole body finding just a potato bug then letting him go on his way to work on math problems. Lori arrived next.

Jessi motioned her to sit down on the chair with just her bra and underwear on. "This is a dramatic turn of events," Lori looked back at her confused. "I get to see my brother's wife and his best friend in their underwear before noon."

That got both Lori and Jessi to laugh.

She continued to check her body and found one tick under her left knee. Jessi grabbed a pair of tweezers and pulled out the little bug. She pulled out the little bug then took out her lighter and burned the little thing until it popped. Jessi check Lori's leg again to make sure she had got the whole head out and she did. Jessi then applied some ointment on top of it and sent her on her way.

Amy and Andrea came in next. "Whatever one wants to go first get undressed but you can keep your bra and underwear on." Andrea got undressed first, "Okay Andrea,"

"I didn't think you knew my name," Andrea said.

"Just because I don't talk does not mean I don't listen."

Amy looked at her sister wondering if Jessi had heard what she had said last night.

Jessi started too looked in Andrea's hair and noticed one. "Hey Amy hand me the tweezers and have the lighter handy."

Amy passed over the tweezers and she picked up the tick lucky it had not gone into the skin yet. She grabbed the lighter from Amy's hand and set it on fire until it popped. "So this really was a good idea to look for ticks. How many ticks have you found so far?" Andrea asked.

"Including you just two but I have not been through a lot of people to look at yet," she continued looking at the body and found none and said, "Now Amy switch places with your sister,"

"Okay," Amy said walking over and beginning to strip down to her underwear. Andrea stood up and grabbed all her clothes.

She searched Amy and did not find any of the ticks. Jessi started with, "Women take longer to search for ticks because of the long hair more spaces for them to crawl into."

After she sent those to away Dale came in. "Jessi I have been having heartburn lately and I'm all out of Tums do you know of and have anything that could help?"

"Yes, I have something that can help you out but first the ticks. Get undressed but leave on your underwear,"

"Okay and can you also listen to my heart."

"Yeah sure," she said going over to her kit and grabbing the stethoscope from her bag. She picked up Dale's hand and took his pulse which was good at 64. She then checked his heart and it sounded fine to her.

"Now for the ticks," she checked his whole body and did not fine anything.

"I'll bring you something to night to help with the heartburn."

"Is this still out of confidentiality."

"Yes, that has not changed. You may go now."

Dale left and then the Morales and his family came into the makeshift tent. The little boy and girl were scarred. Jessi knelt down on one knee and said, "Hey its okay I'm just looking for bugs and your mother can stay right here and watch." "If both of you be good and your mother allows I can give each one of you a lollypop."

The idea of getting candy brought smiles to both of the kids' faces she looked up their mother and she nodded yes.

"Okay then Miranda, right," the wife nodded, " you and your daughter can go first. Morales and your son can come back in a few minutes."

Once they left Jessi said, "Now both of you strip down to your underwear,"

The wife and the daughter blinked at the strange request and she began to wonder if they spoke English. Jessi was rough on her Spanish but she said, "Can you please take off your clothes but leave on your underwear" in Spanish this time.

"I didn't know you spoke Spanish," Miranda said.

"Well I used to work in a Brooklyn hospital,"

She continued checking everyone else and did not find any more ticks.

Her last two patient for the day were two brothers.

The first one walked and said angry, "I don't see why I have to take orders from a sugar tits." She could smell the liquor on him and he was more then five feet away from her.

"Well if you don't want me to check you out then no one is forcing you," she said back equally as bitter and grabbing her gun in her gun holster when he made a step towards her.

"Why you-"

"Merle get out" a man's voice said harshly.

Merle stormed out of the little closed in area.

Another man came into the closed area and he had a crossbow swung over his arm, "Are you okay Miss," he said in a thick southern accent.

"Yeah it is not my first time dealing with a drunk,"

"I'm sorry of what my brother said to you,"

"Its okay,"

"Do you mind checking me for ticks?" he said in constellation.

"Yeah sure take off all your clothes except for your underwear,"

"A girl never sees my underwear till after our first date," he said taking off his crossbow and then his shirt, pants, and socks.

That got her to smile a little bit but he did not see it for her back was turned around.

"He would be nicer if he wasn't drunk and remembered the time he got a nasty fever from a tick," he said.

She turned around and saw for the first time who she was dealing with a man rather muscular with brown hair with a man with a goatee and blue-brownish eyes. "What's your name?" she asked him walking over to start looking for ticks on him. She started with the hair and began to run her fingers through it. She had never met him and realized that he was new.

"Daryl Dixon and you are?"

"Jessica but I prefer Jessi or Jess Grimes,"

"Not Doctor Grimes,"

"No just Nurse,"

"Well Nurse Grimes nice ta meet yeah,"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

She continued to check him out in more ways than one. He was definitely good looking and she guessed that he was about her age so it was okay if she did. Also she could tell when she had her back to him he was checking out her butt and legs. Once she was satisfied with him she finished up and allowed him to go on his way.

She grabbed up her journal and pencil and started to write it:

_Check for ticks today I found 4 in total. There are two new members in the group Merle and Daryl Dixon. I don't like Merle that much but Daryl seems nice enough. I'll have to add their names to the list later._

She grabbed her other note book that was the one that had all the information about the survivors and added their names to the list.

_She went back to writing in her journal. The nightmares still plague me every night and I wake up drenched in sweat. I keep asking myself why did I volunteer to do those experiments on people who were infected with the virus? Those are the faces that I see every night in my dreams._

The image of a dying little girl popped into her head and she decided to stop writing for right now.

It was around dinner time so she cleaned up and went to find something to eat. She sat down next to Shane who was passing out the dinner and waited her turn.

She was about to get the discussing gruel like substance when a piece of some meat like thing fell over her shoulder onto her plate. She looked around seeing where the food came from. She noticed that Merle was walking away from her back around the fire pit that Daryl and him were sitting at away from everyone else and the fact that Daryl was staring at her. He nodded when he noticed her looking at him and went back to whatever he was cooking in the fire.

She looked back at the weird piece of meat that was on her plate.

"So are you going to eat it?" Amy asked not wanting to eat the food that Shane was passing out.

"Yeah got to be better than whatever that is." She grabbed her knife and fork and began to cut it. She lifted up a little piece of it sniffed wondering if Daryl or Merle would try to poison her. It smelled okay so she put it in her mouth.

Carl looked up from whatever his mother was making him eat and noticed his aunt had some sort of meat on her plate. It smelled good and with his mouth drooling for anything other than what that was asked her if it was good.

Jessi nodded and said, "Fantastic," she said grabbing her next piece. She learned two things one that she wanted more and two Daryl was not a bad cook or the fact she had not had any real food for a long time.

As she finished up her food she noticed that Dale was coming from his RV. She grabbed her backpack and got up and walked quickly over to him before he got to the fire.

"Dale here," she said reaching in her bag and bringing out a water bottle with green stuff at the bottom. He looked confused, so she explained "Take a few sip of this when you have heart burn as needed but always shake it really well and you are supposed to drink the green stuff. I hope it helps."

He thanked her and they walked back to where the others were sitting.

As the days wore on Jessi spent less time with Lori and Shane and more time with the others including Carl. She always helped him with his chores so he could get done faster and do something fun which mostly meant following Dale or Shane around. Jessi had learned that Dale was the unofficial father figure of the group. She begun to treat Amy like a little sister and Andrea like an older one for Jessi knew for sure that she could handle herself in a fight. She spent time with Carol and Sophia but she did not like Ed for she had the suspicion that he was abusing them.

Her suspicion was unfortunately correct when Carol and Sophia came in front of her ten tone day. Jessi brought them inside for privacy and because of Ed's lurking eyes that had been following his wife and daughter intensely.

Jessi sat Sophia and her mom on the bed. Sophia held out her left which was black and blue, swollen, and she said it hurt.

"How did you do this?" Jessi asked the little girl that she was kneeing in front of while checking for any broken bones in her hand and not finding any.

Sophia looked at her mother and Jessi saw her mother shake her head no in the corner of her eye. "I fell,"

"Oh," she said knowing she was lying Jessi went over to her medical bag and brought out two pieces of wood and some cloth. "Carol is she taking anything for the pain?"

"No,"

"Sophia, how old are you?" going over to a fishing box that she had turned into her medicine cabinet.

"12,"

"Twelve almost ready to enter your teenage years." She grabbed some children's Tylenol. "Now Sophia, I'm going to immobilize your wrist for a few days and give you something to help with the pain."

Jessi carefully wrapped her wrist up and then gave her some Tylenol.

"Mommy, can I go work on math with Carl, now?" Sophia asked.

"Sure baby," she said once she saw that Jessi had nodded.

"Your turn," Jessi said.

Carol pulled down her pants to reveal a huge bruise that was on her right thigh with some other bruised that had already started to disappear.

"What happened?' Jessi asked her.

"I fell,"

"You have been falling a lot lately." Jessi said for that was what she said a few days ago but she would not come to Jessi so she could check her out.

"I know," Carol said looking down at the floor.

"Well what I recommend is some rest and to stay out of the situations that are making you fall." She walked over to a bowl of water and grabbed a washcloth and brought it over to where she was sitting. "I wish I had some sort of ice pack or something cold but all I have is cool water."

Jessi and Carol were quiet for a while she continued to apply the wet compress to Carol's legs.

Once Carol had said she felt better she quickly stood up trying to get away before Jessi could figure out her secret but it was too late and Jessi had to add something if not for her own safety then her daughters. "Carol wait," she said loudly. She started to whisper what she said next just in case if her husband was outside listening in. "When you feel like you are about to fall send Sophia off to find me. I can protect her if you want."

Carol left without another word.

Jessi went outside and Dale who was on top of the RV keeping watched asked, "Did she fall again?"

"I can't discuss that," she said not wanting to violate the doctor patient confidentiality or Carol's trust that she would send Sophia over to her if needed.

Shane came up behind her and asked, "Did he?"

"I just told Dale I can't take about it."

Dale continued, "If he is doing that why don't you stop him or do something?" pointing at Shane.

"She will just go back to him no matter what we do. I have seen it to many times on the job with domestic violence. The spouse always goes back to the abuser."

"Then what can we do help her?"

"She has to be the one to leave or stand up to him or the cycle will never end." Jessi added remembering all the wives and children she had to treat from abusing household.

I just found out that their are only two new episodes in the United States left until The Walking Dead goes off for break. (So sad)

Thanks to all who are reading and the next chapter has more Daryl in it.

-CM


	5. Chapter 5

_sorry that i have not updated in awhile _-cm

Chapter 5: A Nap to Dead Squirrels

Jessi had started to notice that Shane and Lori had been spending more time together and that she had been leaning into him at the fire every night. She wondered what was going on with those two.

Jessi saw Lori and Amy doing Carl's laundry and she wanted to ask her sister in law what was up with those two. If she had enough audacity to bring up that topic she would but she could not in fear that something more was going on.

She walked over to them and said "Hey," grabbing a pile of Carl's clothes to hang up.

"Morning Jessi," Amy said.

Lori looked at her sister-in-law and she realized how tired she looked and had the big puffy dark circles under her blue eyes, the same blue eyes as her son and late husband, to prove it. "Don't," she said. "Go take a nap I got this," she said realizing that she looked like she could fall over any second.

"Go take a nap, Jess," Amy said.

Jessi nodded and agreed to do that. She walked till she found the first place that had actually grass on it.

She laid down and closed her eyes and wondered how long it would take her to fall asleep and how long would it take for the nightmares to start.

She stared to yawn intensely and feel asleep quickly.

She woke up to the feeling that something had hit her leg. In fear that it was a geek she brought her hand to her gun and took it out pointing it in the face of the person who had woke her up.

It wasn't a walker she knew quickly because it would have already tried to eat her so it had to be human. With the hot Atlanta sun in her face she knew it was Daryl Dixon standing over her by seeing the crossbow sling. She did not allow herself to put her gun away until Daryl asked her, "What the hell are you doing?"

"You scared me," she said putting her gun away and rolling over away from him and closing her eyes again. She wanted to go back to sleep and was half asleep when she felt someone kick her 'lightly' in the shin again.

"What!" she said turning over to see Daryl kneeling right next to her, she wanted to draw her gun again but he had already grabbed it from her holster before she could react.

"You never said thank you for the squirrel I made Merle give you," he said smiling at her.

"Fine thanks now give me back my gun," she said looking at the man. She added "please" to it and he handed it over to her.

"Why do you wear the gun all the time now? He asked and continued to make fun of her before she could answer. "You look funny with it- a nurse with a huge gun. Hah," he said that and the thought of him being hot to her were slipping away.

"Would you believe me if I said I don't even think about grabbing it anymore I just do it like putting on shoes and socks."

He nodded and gave back her gun to her. He switched the bow from one muscled arm to the other and said, "I'm going squirrel hunting, do you want to come with me?" he asked grinning.

"If I say 'no' will you leave me alone or will you stay here annoying me till I say 'yes'!"

"Until you say 'yes'."

"Yes but I'm going to grab my bag and water bottle first okay?"

He held out his hand for her to take to pull herself up off the ground. She grabbed his out stretched hand and he did not waste a second to pull her up into him. She lost her balance but regained it against Daryl's hard body. He let go of her hand and pushed her slightly back towards camp.

"I'll wait here," he said leaning up against a tree.

She walked quickly to her tent in camp. Lori was outside of her tent along with Carl. "How was your four hour nap?" She asked.

"Nice, the best I slept in a while," She said going into her tent grabbing her bag and water bottle. She had not realized that she had slept for almost four hours and she stopped being as mad at Daryl for waking her up. When she got out Carl was standing there alone smiling.

"What's up kiddo?" She asked walking over to the clean water bucket to pour some in her water bottle with her nephew at her heels.

"Dale found a football in the RV and I was wondering if you want to play with us since Sophia can't play and we don't have even teams?"

"Sorry but I am going to go pick herbs right now," seeing his smile go to a frown she added, "I'll play tomorrow I promise." She walked back to where she left Daryl.

He was chewing on a piece of long grass while waiting for her. "Let's go" was all he said.

They went deeper and deeper into the forest. She followed him about five feet behind and there was unease silence between them. It was nice for her for a few minutes to hear the sounds of the woods but after a while it got weird for her. She started to imagine the life Daryl had before all this while scanning the ground for any plants she could use.

He looked strong in the arms so maybe some kind of laborer. She could easily see him as some kind of mechanic or doing something with his hands. She realized that he probably could and would take anything he wanted by force and she should be afraid of him but she was not totally. He scared her because she did not know him completely but she was more afraid of Merle than Daryl that's for sure. Also she noticed that his behavior was different than when he was alone than when he was around Merle. But now he was respectful, quiet, nervous, almost childlike or a lost dog…

Her thought process was lost with the sound of Daryl's crossbow went off. He had taken down another squirrel. That was his fifth one.

"Squirrels must hate you," she said coming up behind him as he extracted the bloody arrow tip from the squirrel and the tree.

"Well they taste good. So what d'you think of squirrel meat?" he asked her while attaching his prize to a rope along with the other dead squirrels.

"It is definitely better than anything that comes from a can or fish." She said disappearing from his side to a pile of small rocks along with some large boulders with some green plant that was growing along the edges of the rocks.

"Something the matter with fish?" he asked turning around to see she was not next to him but kneeling beside some green plants that she started to pick.

He came up behind her and sat on the big boulder and asked, "What are you doing?"

"It's wild ginger and before you ask why I need it? It can be used for to improve appetite, treat gas, stomach aches, and chest colds." She said moving her head to look at him sitting on the boulder relaxing.

"Ah," he said taking out his knife and handing it to her, "this will work better,"

"Thank you,"

She continued to pick for another five minutes and wrapped her pickings in a handkerchief and put it in her bag. Daryl watched her intensely checking out her butt and it did look good in the jean capris she had on especially when she stood up walking over to the boulder he was sitting on and joined him on the rock. "So," she said sitting down.

"So what?" he asked.

She scanned his body quickly for anything to talk about and noticed on his right arm a tattoo of something but she could not make it out. "What is your ink on your arm?" She asked trying to make small talk with him, she knew what the tattoo was on his back, and she liked hearing his voice.

He turned his arm for her to see the little black dancing demon.

"How 'bout you?" he asked never suspecting that she would have one or have any bad bone in her body or had but was wrong and she leaned over to pull down her sock to reveal tattoo of a red rose on her ankle.

Daryl liked that a lot and the rose on her ankle was sexy.

She bent down to fix her sock and grabbed the water bottle out of her side pocket. Before she took a drink she offered Daryl some and he took the water bottle from her hands.

He started to drink and nearly drank half of it. She watched him deplenish her water bottle and she hoped that he remember to leave her some.

"Thirsty?" she asked him smiling.

He smirked and handed it over to her and she took a drink from it. While he drank he pushed his shoulder into hers and nearly knocking her off the boulder and spilling water all over her shirt.

"At least I'm cool now," she said laughing and Daryl joined her.

He loved how her laugh sounded, it was not I throat squeaky one but a deep one that came from her stomach. This was probably the first time he had laughed and actually meant it since the dead started to walk.

After a moment Jessi stopped then Daryl did. He was leaning pretty close to her and he watched her as she tried to catch her breath and did. They both were looking in each other's blue eyes and were smiling. She leaned her head a little closer to him and Daryl watched her face mainly her lips but then her mood changed completely to almost sad and he thought he saw a few tears in her eyes.

Seeing that their laugh and moment had ended Daryl said getting up and offering her his hand, "We should get going if we want to get back before dark."

She took it and when he pulled her up like last time she elbowed him in the ribs slightly just enough to give him a quick jab of pain saying, "That's for earlier," she said still rather sad though.


	6. Chapter 6: Alone with Daryl

Chapter 6: Alone with Daryl

As they walked back to camp, Daryl had decided to step out of his comfort zone and asked her why she had gotten so sad after he nearly pushed her off the rock? He stopped looked back at her and made eye contact.

She looked at him and blinked, she had got caught up in his blue eyes that she swore could cut her like a knife and she could not hide from them. "My brother used tease me like that always waiting to make a fool out me then did."

"Your brother is?" he asked wondering if she had lost him in the epidemic.

"Dead," she said.

"A walker?" he asked wondering if she had to put him down.

"No, he died in a coma when the electricity went out at the hospital. At least I don't have to worry about not knowing if he is one of them it's one less thing I have to worry about." She said starting to walk again and she kicked a small stick.

"I'm sorry but for a while I thought the officer Shane" he asked and she nodded to tell him that was his name "was your brother the way he watches out for you, Lori, and Carl."

"He is-was my brother's best friend and my sort of adopted other brother. I miss him every day and Carl reminds me of him every time I see him."

"My brother is a pain in my ass,"

"Daryl, one thing I have learned from losing my brother is that we don't know how long we have in this world anymore and you should treasure yours for one day he might not be here."

"Don't worry about us, we will be fine just worry about your pretty little ass."

"My pretty little ass," she said again smiling.

He liked seeing her smile; she was one of the only ones that smiled anymore.

Jessi stepped closer to him and they stopped in the middle of the woods in a small clearing. "Daryl," she said almost whispering for only them to hear with less than a few inches from one and the others face. If one of them had wanted to they could have closed the gap between them. Jessi wanted too but could not move herself any closer than she already did to him. With him being so close to her within touching distance her heart beat started to get faster, she was sure by now her cheeks were blushing from the heat she felt radiating from them, and she could not stand still. She knew she was attracted to him but she could not close the distance and kiss him.

Daryl liked the idea of her being so close. He looked into her blue eyes and love how they flickered in the late day sun. He then noticed how she was blushing and could not stand still in front of them. If under different circumstances he would have taken this chance alone with her but it was too dangerous to have strong relationships anymore for no one knew if tomorrow they would be dead and join the walkers. He had his brother that was enough for him for right now but he did realize that she was the ultimate temptation for him.

Daryl felt his hands starting to sweat that never happen to him and he wanted to kiss her just once. He looked away from Jessi's beautiful face when something jumping caught his eye. He reached for his cross bow realizing it was just another squirrel that he had to kill so they could eat.

Jessi saw him reach for his cross bow and she went for her gun just in case it was a walker. She turned around slowly and heard the crossbow go off to see a dead squirrel on the ground. She was happy that it was not a walker but she felt bad for all the squirrels that he had killed and that she liked squirrel meat and hoped he would give her some tonight after he cleans and guts it first. She was happy that he was such a deadly shot and when he pulled out the arrow tip she knew the squirrel was dead.

Daryl walked over to his dead squirrel, took out the bloody arrow, and attached the squirrel to his rope with the other ones. "Come on," he said walking past her not wanting to be so close to her again.

She walked behind him back to camp. She knew they were almost back to camp he knew that as soon as they got back to camp he would become an ass just like his brother. She had seen Merle look at every woman in the camp of survivors and he was racist to every person that was not a White Caucasian and Daryl never stopped him once.

Daryl stopped at the tree he was leaning on earlier today. He had noticed how she went quiet. He knew after they went around this tree the camp would be in view and he saw his brother sitting watching T-Dog. He wanted a few more minutes with her-alone. She continued to walk as he stopped and he reached out to grab her hand and pull her into him. He put his arms on her waist to help steady her against her. They looked straight into each other's eyes since they were almost the same height with her about an inch to an inch and a half shorter than him. Jessi let her hands go up to the edge of her shirt to let her finger tips rub the edge of his shirt.

Daryl took his right hand off her waist and brought it up to her face and he pushed a piece of hair that had fallen out of place behind her ear. He then let his hand trace her face and touch her jaw line. His dirty sweaty hand with some dried squirrel blood looked weird against her clean white skin. She smiled slightly and he took this once chance to kiss her slightly.

It was a soft kiss, she did not expect that kind of kiss to come from a man like that but she kissed him back anyways. They kissed for about a minute before he pulled away from it. "I'm sorry," was all he said still touching her.

"For what?" she asked confused still hanging on to his shirt.

"I know everyone thinks that I'm a stupid trash redneck that-" she put her finger in front of his lips.

"Don't," she said kissing him slightly.

"Meet me here tomorrow around noon, okay,"

"Okay,"

"I'll bring you a squirrel after I clean one," and he walked away over to where his brother was.

She leaned back against the tree and thought 'it finally happened'. She had not been kissed like that since before her fiance, and he died over a year ago so it has been longer than 13 months and more like 16.

_Two chapters in one day-yeah. Thank you all for reading and having alerts on me but i would love more reviews. Tell me what you think- CM _


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jessi stayed leaning against that tree for a few extra moments trying to figure out what the hell just happened and what did he have for tomorrow! After about ten minutes she actually entered camp not wanting anyone to realize that she and Daryl were spending time together and that they had kissed for she knew no one liked the Dixon brothers.

She went to go check up on Sophia before she did anything else but was in a rather good mood after Daryl's kiss and could not hide a wide grin on her face. She found the little girl doing math problems with Carl. Jessi always got a good chuckle that Carl and Sophia were still 'going to school' in the middle of the damn apocalypse. She at least thought their parents should give them a break for if the world did not end they would still be having summer vacation.

"Hey Carl, Sophia," she said coming over to them.

"Aunt Jessi, can you please check my math?' Carl asked her bringing more of a smile to her face then there was previously a few seconds ago remembering how many times she had to check her brother's or Shane's homework.

"Of course but I want to check Sophia's wrist,"

Sophia held out her hand and Jessi unwrapped it checking for anymore swelling or pain. Sophia told her that she really had no pain anymore and Jessi saw the swelling had almost completely disappeared. "I'm not going to stabilize your wrist again but you have to take it easy for another day. Now Carl, let's see that math."

She helped bot them simplify fractions and after they had finished the problems that Lori had assigned them they heard Carol call for Sophia and Sophia said, "See ya later Carl. And Jessi."

Jessi and Carl started walking over to the fire pit. "Sophia is sweet, isn't she?" she said to Carl and Carl agreed with a sigh saying, "Yes she is,"

"Oooo, does someone have a crush?" she asked.

"Stop that," he said responding and sticking out his tongue and her sticking out her tongue at him.

"You can use that tongue on me," Merle said surprising Jessi not realizing they had wandered in front of the Dixon brothers' tent. Her mood dropped as soon as she heard him speak.

Carl and her stopped walking for a second and she glared at him but then she put her hand on Carl's shoulder to help push him along so he would not say anything to Merle.

"Come on sweet cheek why don't ya come over here and give ol' Merle some company."

Jessi continued to walk along pushing Carl ahead of her but stopping when she heard the next that came out of his oversized pie hole, "Come on ma little sexy nurse, I bet you haven't had a good bedding in a while. The world has ended and ya don't have many choices left, it would feel so good for both of us I assure you."

She turned towards Merle and hissed, "I'D RATHER DIE FIRST," while he used her hands to outline her curves. She watched Merle and noticed that Daryl was behind him sitting there angrily skinning his kills with his huge knife.

'Please Jessi, just walk away' he thought not wanting to engage his brother in a fight for he was using again and that would make him more powerful and did not need Merle to get in a fight with the other survivors especially not with someone he liked and just kissed.

Her eyes locked with Daryl's who was just sitting there in a chair who looked up from skinning his kills. She could not believe he had not said or done anything to stop his brother and she shook her head no.

He saw his brother out of the corner of his eye give her a devilish smile that scared her enough to put her hand on the edge of her gun holster. Daryl knew that look all too well and he knew he had to stop it right now or things were going to get really bad, "Merle, that's enough," he screamed standing up and throwing his knife down at the log landing right where he wanted it to.

He angrily strided over to her, grabbed her by the forearm, and pulled her away from his brother.

She heard Merle say, "That bitch needs a good fucking badly, you go Daryl,"

She wanted turn back and say something to Merle but Daryl increased his hold on her and pulled her to look at him in the eyes, "Just let it go," he said begging her. Then he kept pulling her till they got to her fire pit attracting the attention of Glenn, Dale, and Shane who were already sitting there.

"You let go of her, you, red neck trash," Shane said pointing his shotgun at Daryl but could not fire it for in fear he would hit Jessi.

Daryl heard what Shane said and knew that he had a shotgun pointed at him but he released his hold on her gently not wanting to hurt her. "Come tomorrow and I'll explain," he said whispering to her in a calm voice. He looked her in the eyes and then shifted his gaze down to her lips than back up to her eyes.

Feeling his grip had released enough for her to pull herself away from him she did and shouted at him while shaking her head, "You are just as bad as your brother, if not worse," and she thought as she said this why did the hell did I kiss him.

He looked at her one last time and then turned on his heels and walked back to his tent thinking about what she just said 'was he really as bad as his brother?'

"Jessi are you okay?' Dale asked coming over to her.

She looked at the old man's eyes and said, "Yeah my arm hurts a bit but yeah,"

"Those Dixon brothers," Shane hissed.

"Where did Carl go?" Jessi asked remembering he was with her when Merle started making those comments at her.

She went to find him and found him in his tent holding a can of beans. "Dinner?" she asked him knowing she was not going to get a squirrel now.

"Aunt Jessi, you have a gun why did you not just shoot him? They scare you? Well they scare me."

"Carl, he is not worth a bullet and yes Merle scares me but this world scares me now more."

"If dad or Shane heard what he said to you they would of shoot him,"

"Yes they would of but he is not worth the blood on your hands and we need all the ammunition we have. Come on Carl let's go I'm kind of hungry and I have a five hour watch shift tonight so I want to get to bed early."

After a dinner of beans she told everyone goodnight, well almost everyone excluding the Dixon brothers. She told Shane, who was always up and wondered if he ever really slept, to come get her when her shift started.

She fell asleep rather quickly probably because she was more active today than usual from going into the woods with Daryl. Around 9: 30 Shane came to get her and she watched over the camp for five hours while everyone slept.

She started thinking about football tomorrow, which should be fun. Then her thoughts turned to Daryl when she gazed over at his tent.

She asked herself 'should I go tomorrow and wait by the tree?' Are we totally over in one day? Was that the shortest relationship in the world? Her thoughts returned to the main question 'should I go tomorrow?'

_Thank you for reading and please review-cm_


	8. Football Day

Chapter 8: Football Day

Jessi awoke to the sound of someone rustling in her tent. She immediately opened her eyes and saw the wall of her tent she moved her hand that was under her pillow over to her gun. With the gun in her hand she turned off the safety ready to fire if it was a walker.

It was not a walker but Carl holding a football in her face "Carl," she said loudly letting her gun go and sitting up. "Don't come into this tent without making your presence known," she said calmly even though on the outside she was freaking out about almost shooting her nephew.

"Sorry, I forgot. You promised to play football now come on!" he said.

"I'll be out in ten minutes fill this up for me," she said standing up out of her cot, shooing him away, and giving him her water bottle.

She smiled to herself slightly as she changed into her favorite purple cami and a pair of light yoga shorts that came right above her knees. She looked down at her arm and it hurt a tad where Daryl had pulled her away from Merle. She happy it was not bruised because she knew that Shane would probably do something to Daryl if Shane knew he really hurt her. For he always thought of her as a younger sister and that he would protect her from anyone. She knew that Shane wanted to try to take the place of her brother but they both knew he could never fill that void no matter how much he tried. That did not stop him from watching over her like Rick would have wanted him too. She realized that she was going to have to say she was sorry to Daryl, he had pulled her away from his brother trying to protect her and he definitely was not as bad as him while she was brushing her hair and put it into a ponytail.

She grabbed her gun, backpack, and extra clip before exiting her tent. Walking outside, a football sored at her head. She barely had time to put her hands up to catch it before it had hit her right in the nose. She heard laughter erupt from Lori, Shane, Carl, and a few other people that she did not recognize. Walking over she knew it was Shane who had thrown the football since he was laughing the most and the look he gave her trying to hide a mischievous grin.

She could tell it was going to be a hot one by the sweat that was forming on everyone and they were just having breakfast right now. It was granola and dried fruit mixture that Glenn had brought back on his last trip into the city. She agreed with the rest of the group that he was brave to go into the city-alone- to scavenge just enough things to keep them going. He always said he was just wanted to help the group.

Jessi through the football back to Shane who caught it with ease-curse his football days in high school. With two now free hands for breakfast she took her share and some extra because it was her day to get some extra food and she was actually hungry this morning. But she snuck a small handful into her backpack not knowing what tomorrow would bring.

While she was eating she turned around to look at the Dixon tent to see if Daryl was there. She wanted to apologize even if he would not listen to her.

Once Jessi had finished eating she knew by Carl's smile that she could not deny him from playing football any longer. "Come on young man," she said going to find the Morales children and Sophia. They found a small spot of flat land with grass and began tossing the football around. Jessi was getting all the kids to laugh when they started playing butterfingers. When one of them dropped the ball that was tossed to them all the others would scream, "BUTTERFINGERS" at the top of their lungs and Jessi dropped the ball a few times on purpose so the kids could make fun of her. Jessi even let Sophia join in but told her if her hand started to hurt then she was going to have to stop.

She knew by playing with these children that she was never going to have children of her own. It was just to dangerous to have children in this world now. She could not imagine being pregnant for ten months, going through labor, and then having a screaming baby that could alert walkers at any moment to take care of. This is why she cared for Carl and the other children so much but mainly Carl. He was her own flesh and blood and she had promised her brother that if something even happened to him or Lori that she would look after him.

Sophia tossed the ball to Jessi, she caught it and threw it to the Morales children. Not knowing which one it was attended for they both ran up to the ball and knocked into each other. They both started laughing then Carl screamed, "Dog pole on Jessi,"

Jessi attacked by four kids was knocked to the ground and she tried to roll away from them. After five minutes of this they all sat up trying to catch their breath from laughing so much.

"Jessi, this is the most fun I had in a long while," Eliza said.

"Yeah thanks Aunt Jessi,"

"I think we should take a break for a little while, drink some water, get some shade," she said. "Come on," she said going over to where she sat her gun and bag down.

She was met with groans of the children not wanting to stop playing, "Now come on guys," she said walking away knowing they would follow especially now that she had the ball.

They walked back up the trail to the camp when they passed Merle Dixon chopping wood. She told them all to run ahead not wanting them to hear what came out of his mouth today.

She was prepared to make some smart ass comment if it came to that but was completely taken off guard when he only said, "Morning Miss Grimes, children," then returned to his wood chopping.

'What the hell,' she thought walker away from him as fast as she could so even if he wanted to add something else he could not for she would be gone.

She walked over to Dale, who was up on watch duty, with binoculars stuck to his eyes scanning the hills for walkers.

"Hey what time is it?" she asked him forgetting to put on her watch earlier.

He looked down at his watch and said, "Five minutes after noon. Why anywhere you have to be?"

"Thanks," she said putting the football inside the RV and started walking over towards the tree.

She had decided last night on watch duty she would go and stand near the tree and if he did not show up or was not there then okay. She would apologize to him at some later point in time.

She walked past the tree and he was not there and her heart sank a little. She thought maybe he is just late-is all. If he does not where a watch then he might have lost track of time or maybe he is using the position of the sun for the time and the sun is off. She could see him doing that.

She sat down and took out her journal and started writing.

_I'm not dead, I didn't die I just have not been in the mood to write for a few days._

_ No new people and no one has seen a walker around so that is a plus but I still carry my gun around anyways._

_ Yesterday was, uh, great and then horrible._

_ Great because I kissed Daryl, well Daryl started it. Oh my, I did not expect the sweetest kiss from his especially but the way he looks. I expected it to be hard and rough. It felt good to be kissed again-I have not been kissed by a man I was not related to since before Kevin died._

_ Oh my but Daryl Dixon is like that tempting dangerous guy that every women secretly wants-or it is just me. I even let him see my tattoo not many people know I have one and those who know- who knows if they are even alive. I wanted to try to be his friend because he hunts and these woods are filled with things we could eat. Also, that crossbow is pretty hot and is a great weapon choice. It is quiet and reusable and he has deadly accuracy with it. I know that because I saw him use it one some squirrels. Oh and squirrel meet is good._

_ He told me after we kissed to meet him by a tree and here I sit. I waited yesterday for a few minutes not wanting anyone to know that we were spending time together and since no one rally exactly likes the Dixon brothers. I can tell you why no likes Merle for he harasses all the women and makes sexually comments to us like yesterday as I walked with Carl. He started on me saying that I needed to get laid, was a sexy little nurse, that I should take whatever I got because we are going to die sooner or later. Personally I'd do Daryl if he wanted it as long as it is protected. But back to Merle as he was telling me this Daryl did not stop him. Well, until Merle got this sick smile on his face that made me want to puke then, Daryl pulled me away, to told me to forget what happened and if I showed up he would explain and I told him, 'he was just as bad as his brother if not worse.' For that I'm sorry for now I see he was just trying to protect me._

_ Now here I wait sitting for him… I hope he shows up soon before my nephew comes looking for me._

What she did not realize while she was writing that Daryl had been watching her. He got up out of his hiding space of bushes and walked over to the tree.

As soon as he came into view of her, she stood up and brushed the dirt off her shorts. He did not know who she was keeping so clean and still smell so good while living in a tent. He had noticed this yesterday and could not get that smell out of his head all last night.

"Hey," she said.

He stepped forward and looked at the beautiful clean woman that had kissed him back yesterday and smelled so good.

"I'd didn't think you'd show up,"

"Neither did I. I'm sorry about what I said to you about being as bad as your brother-I realized last night you were just trying to protect me."

"I was," he stepped closer to her and took her figure in a purple tank top with a little lace on top. That little bit of lace drove him crazy.

She extended her hand to lightly his face and he braced himself thinking that she was going to hit him.

Seeing that he was slightly frightened she softly stroked his check with just her fingers a few times letting him get us to her touch after a moment of this she opened her palm and touched his check. She stepped closer to pi and put a small kiss on his lips.

It was a small simple close mouth kiss that made both of them wanting more.

He took his mouth away from her lips and put it next to her ear lobes and said in a whisper, "I told yah I'd explain,"

"Explain what?" in a gasppy whimper having a slight obsession for hot, sweaty rednecks.

"About what happened yesterday,"

"I saw Merle earlier and he was-I would not say nice but respectful."

"Yeah I need to tell you about that. Come on let's take a walk" he said stepping away from her.

**Thanks for reading:) please review. i love all the alerts i'm getting but would love more reviews, please-CM**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

They started walking and Daryl let Jessi listen to the sounds of the forest for a few minutes. The sounds of the woods always comforted him and still do. Of course he brought his crossbow and was scanning the area for any little critter he could kill.

"I saw you playing football with the kids today," he said breaking the silence.

"I like playing football with them."

"Can I tell you something that you won't say to anyone else? Like doctor patient—"

"Confidentiality yes and sure."

"My brother is using cocaine and you better not tell that officer person. So yesterday, I –uhm- liked that kiss. It has been a while since I have been kissed."

"So have I," she said.

"You have?" he saw her nod and wondered how long and why wasn't seeing someone before the world gone to shit. He continued, "When my brother gets high it is best to stay out of his way. When he confronted you all I wanted was for you to leave. He would never hurt a woman under normal circumstances-are mother god bless her soul would come back from the grave if he did but when I saw that smile- I had to stop him and lead you away from him I did not want to take any chances. I did not hurt you?"

"No,"

"That smile is the smile he gives to any one he wants to fight or he wants to take whatever wants. Last night I was afraid he would do something to you and I was up all night making sure he did not leave his cot."

"You mean try to rape me?"

"I would not let that happen and he just slept the whole night."

"That's why you look so tired?"

"Yes he won't be bothering you anymore I made sure of that,"

"How?"

"One thing is when my brother gets high he listen to what I say. I told him that I called dibs on you and he had to back off for you are mine."

"Who said I'm yours?'

"You are not seeing anyone else right?"

"No just a redneck named Daryl Dixon,"

That got him to smile and said, "That means you are mine,"

"Just don't go around advertising that,"

"That probably smart if we don't tell anyone else."

"Agreed,"

"Can I ask you something?'

"Only if I can ask you something,"

"Are you any good?" he asked her and he saw her blush misunderstanding his question "With your gun,"

"I'm good enough to shoot a zombie in the head,"

"Who taught you?'

"My brother and dad taught me to shoot a rifle but my fiancé taught me to shoot that gun. It is actual his."

"You had a fiancé?"

"Now you are asking me too many questions but yes. He died 13 months ago from an IED in Iraq while serving over there."

"I'm sorry,'

"Thanks, you are the first guy that I've kissed since him." She said while thinking about what to ask him first.

"I must be a consolation then,"

"Don't do that to yourself," she said stopping and kissing him on his check. "You are not a consolation prize, your Daryl and he was Kevin two different men."

He liked the kiss but once she was done he put his hand on her check and leaned in to kiss her on the lips. They stood their making out for a few minutes. He loved those wet kisses that he was being given by her. He put his hands on her waist and let his fingers go under her cami and she did not stop him and put one of her arms around his neck and the other she ran it through his greasy hair. He loved the feel of her soft smooth warm skin against his hands and what she was doing with his hair.

His rough calloused fingers against her skin were making her go crazy. She could feel her stomach flip with excitement and wishing he move his hands up a little more and pushed her body closer into his while starting to bite his bottom lip.

Thanks for reading. please review and tell me what you think-cm


	10. Zombie Tales

_Blood this chapter._

_Thanks for reading and please review. i don't own The Walking Dead_-_sadly anything you don't recognize i own._

_Enjoy,_

_cm_

Chapter 10: Zombie Tales

Daryl ended their kiss suddenly when he heard a sound of something behind him and pushed her out of the way. It was just a squirrel and he raised his crossbow up and pulled the trigger.

He turned around to look at her wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and stop to say, "That reminds me, you never gave me a squirrel, yesterday." She really enjoyed that kiss, she was not going to deny that.

"Is that right." He said taking out his knife and going over to get a squirrel that was pinned to a tree. "Do you have a lighter or matches in your bag?"

"Yes,"

"Get some dry wood and I'll make you an early dinner."

In an hour they had a small fire and a roasting squirrel skinned and gutted by Daryl roasting over it.

"You never asked me your questions," he said watching her sit down.

"What was your first walker kill like?"

He looked at her, then back at the fire and anger burst through his eyes as he began.

_Daryl got out of his truck and grabbed a beer out of a six pack he always kept in his truck. He took a swig and noticed the unease silence around his house. Usually there were birds and crickets chirping but there was nothing right now. He looked around the trees to see if there was a hawk stalking some bird nearby-that would explain the silence and saw nothing._

_ He had heard of what was happening on the radio and saw what was on the old tvs. The dead were walking and killing the living. He thought the first time he saw something on the news that it was just some advertising for some new horror flick but now it was just getting worse. Merle had earlier ordered his brother to go to the store and get some can goods for they were going to get out of here for there have already been some walkers in town and it was just going to get worse._

_ He had his crossbow over his shoulder scanning the yard for anything but nothing until he heard a dogs barking, growling, and whimpering._

_ It was Zoey and he ran pulling his crossbow over his shoulder looking for his old beagle. He ran as fast as he could trying to save his dog but could not push his legs to go faster. He could hear something else growing and then his dog._

_ When he finally got around the corner he saw his dog on the ground still kicking with a woman covered it blood ripping flesh out of Zoey. "Get off of her you dead whore," he screamed angrily recognizing who it was by the dress. She was a whore and he was right she was a prostitute who hung around the local bars and rest stops. She had blood shot eyes and a big piece of flesh ripped out of her arm and his dog's blood was smeared all over her face. _

_ The zombie looked up from her meal and noticed an even bigger one._

_ Daryl lined the zombie's right eye up in his crossbow hair as it advanced and pulled the trigger._

_ The zombie fell backwards on the ground-dead for real this time._

_ He rushed over to his dog on the ground. Zoey tried to pick her head up and lick his hand but had losses to much blood already to do much Daryl was amazed she was still alive but she knew she would not be in a matter of minutes. She was the only thing he actually cared anything for other than Merle. He picked his dog up in his arms and she this time succeeded to licked his face._

_ "What are you going to do abot that mut?" Merle said coming out of the house with his gun drawn to see a walker on the ground with an arrow coming out of its head and his brother with a dying dog in his arms._

_ "Give me your gun," he said for he could not let her bleed to death and suffer anymore._

_ Merle walked down the steps of the porch and said, "I'm sorry she must of gotten out when I wasn't looking," handing him his pistol._

_ Daryl had never heard his brother apologize before-ever and he took the gun from his brother._

_ "Do you want me to do it?" Merle asked wondering if his brother could take the life of this animal. He had seen him take the lives of countless numbers of deer, birds, squirrels, and even a few bears but never a dog. His dog._

_ "No, she is my responsibility," he said while snatching the gun out of his brothers hands._

_ He picked up the pistol and with the dog in his lap trying to lick his face he said, "Zoe I will always love you. I'm sorry this happened to you. You were an amazing dog and an amazing friend," He buried his face into his dogs coat as he pulled the trigger not wanting her to suffer anymore._

_Bang _

_ Zoey stopped breathing and he knew she was dead. He got up and whipped the tears from his eyes and ran into the house to grab some cloths, tent, extra crossbow, sleeping bag, and cot. He passed his mother's room and went in for a minute to grab two more things. He found the old photo of his brother, him, and their mother smiling and took the small gold heart shape necklace out of her jewelry box. He slammed them into them into his pocket and ran outside._

_ Merle had already gotten his motorcycle in the back and Daryl tossed his bag in beside Merles. He climbed into the truck next to his brother who had his hands on the wheel._

_ "I buried your dog," Merle said and Daryl looked out the window at the front yard with a small mound of dirt in the middle of it._

_ "Thanks," _

_ "You would do same for me. Now, shut up we need to get out of here," turning the key and the truck roared to life._

"I'm sorry about your dog," she said looking at him taking his hand and squeezed it with hers.

"So am I," he looked down at his hand and hers and pulled it away from her slowly. "Squirrel's ready,"

They ate in silence and Jessi passed him her water bottle which he drank from. Once they were done he put out the fire and began to walk back to camp.

"How about you?" he asked. "What was it like to kill your first geek?"

"Daryl working in a hospital I saw and did a lot of things that I'm not proud of and after we realized that we could do nothing for them. We started doing are own experiments on them and many weren't even dead the first time around."

"Just tell me everything,"

"You sure? These are the reasons I have nightmares every night."

"Yes, my mom always said that talking about them always helps."

"Fine," she said starting to tell her story of the undead and dying the first time around.

_Jessi spent the day running around the hospital. The first five minutes she got of rest she ran to her brother's room. She past a soldier armed with an M-4. He checked her ID then allowed her to past. 'Has the world gone to shit' she asked herself and 'yes it has' there is an army ranger stationed at every entrance, stairwell, and wing plus all the hospital security. For her own protect, she had even started to carry her fiancé's glock 17 and the extra clip hidden underneath her scrubs._

_ When she got to his room and opened the door, she was surprised to see that no one other than her brother was there. Shane had barely come lately and he had the hardest time getting in Lori or Carl so Jessi was basically forced to stay at the hospital all the time. She had barely any time for herself anymore because so many of the other nurses had quiet._

_ She heard that a refugee center was going to be set up in Atlanta and there had been talk out life flight the other patients there. She went over to her brother's bedside and began checking his vitals. They were all good and when she was done she collapsed onto the bed and started to cry. She was tired and just wanted to take a rest. "Please Rick wake up" she said between her sobs._

_ After she was done crying she felt better. It was the best she felt in a long while. She knew she had to leave when she heard her name being paged over the loud speaker._

_ She heard screams coming down the hall and began to run. She ran into the room and saw a patient eating Nurse Jannie while she was still alive and a dead soldier on the ground with his throat ripped out and blood gushing all over the floor._

_ Jessi took out her gun and took the safety off. The patient had not looked up from her meal and Jessi fired her gun._

_Bang_

_ Jessi rushed to Jannie and put her hands over the bleeder to apply pressure. "Keep breathing Jannie. Think of your kids," _

_ Jessi saw her eyes roll back in her head and knew she was dead._

_ A soldier had come in now and with his gun raised said, "We are going to have to make sure they are both dead,"_

_ She grabbed her gun and put it behind Jannie's ear and pulled the trigger. While the other soldier did the same with his dead comrade taking out his pistol getting ready to fire._

_ Bang Bang_

_ Jessi watched carefully as many people women, men, children were being brought in for bites and scratches from the dead. When the fever hit and the doctors and other nurses realized that morphine, oxycodone, or Dilaudid did nothing and they could not save them Jessi and a few other soldiers went around and started massacring the infected. None of the other doctors or nurses could do it because they had known the infected most of their lives. They were their neighbors, friends, their children's friends, even some of their own children. Since Jessi had not been back for very long she could easily separate herself from these people and did what she had to do to survive. She convinced herself that she sort of an Angel of Mercy and that allowed her to do what she was doing._

_ Her, a few doctors, and military officers worked on experiments of their own trying to figure out a cure and when they heard of a new case. A child had been brought in from being bite by a walker._

_ A big chuck of her leg was missing and you could even see the bone. She was screaming and her mother was standing there with her daughter in her arms. "Please somebody help me!" she screamed._

_ Jessi noticed her and the child. She walked over to her and realized that she was one of Carl's friends. She went over to her and had a soldier take the child from her arms._

_ "No! NO! No!," her mother said not letting her go._

_ "Let her go," he soldier said taking the child in his arms feeling the heat radiating from her small little body "Nurse, she has already got a fever"._

_ "Ma'am we will do whatever we can to save your daughter," and she nodded to the soldier saying to do it but not here but not in front of her mother._

_ She held her mother as the child was carried away to die. She caught a glimpse of that child's face; she was terrified and screaming for her mother. It took all of Jessi's strength to hold her back._

_Bang_

_ They both heard that, "What happened?" the mother asked her._

_ Jessi could not answer._

_ "He shot her didn't he?" _

_ Jessi could not answer her._

_ The woman slapped Jessi across the face and said, "You are the monster not my daughter," and ran to find her daughter's corpse._

_ Those words had hurt Jessi far more than the slap. Jessi was only doing what she had to do to survive and if that meant killing somebody who was infected then she would have to._

"Wow," he said at the end of the story looking her over. He never would of guess that she could do something like that.

"You still want to be with me after you know what I have done?"

"Yes, I agree with you there has to be a zero tolerance for walkers including the infected."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

For three days that's how it went, Jessi and Daryl would meet by the tree and they would go into the woods together. They would spend a few hours together either talking, kissing, Daryl would hunt and bring down small game such as more squirrels, birds, and rabbits, while Jessi would look for herbs. Jessi would tell Daryl what to look for when he was out hunting by himself. He may not have known what all the uses are of that plant or the name but if he saw any he would tell her and they would pick together. She liked that he was a man of a few words but she had realized that he could get very angry quickly so she was careful about what she said or did. She had her suspicions about why he was like that and she had seen and felt the scars on his body the day she looked for ticks on him.

She told him that the nightmares were less frequent and could get through the night with just having one and they weren't so bad as before. He told her that sometimes you just have to get something bad off your chest before it eats you up.

She knew that he was not much of a people person and the social skills he had only added to her suspicions but she had somehow convinced him to start coming around the fire each night. He would never talk unless asked a direct question but mostly he just sat there across from Jessi listening to the others life before.

He tried not to stare at Jessi for he did not want everyone to know that he was seeing her behind all their backs. He did his best not to stare at her but failed a few times and he saw that she was staring at him as well. He hoped that since it was pretty dark and only the fire to give off light that no one would notice.

The night that Daryl brought Merle would forever change the group. It started when Shane interrupted the whole group to say, "Glenn is going into the city tomorrow and has agreed to take along a group this time."

"I will take no more than six people including myself so up to five people can come with me."

"It's on a volunteer bases so those who want to go tell Glenn and I right now."

Jessi would have volunteered in a heartbeat for she wanted to get out of this place badly, only on the daily trip into the woods with Daryl was she free of being so close to the quarry and she wanted to see what the city was like after all this happened. She didn't because of her argument with Shane she had when she wanted to go and put up signs to warn people away from the city. His closing points was that "You are too important to loss since you are the only person in the camp that is trained in medicine and I'm not putting you in danger." She just stared deeper into the fire and pulled the blanket that was around her shoulders closer to her.

T-Dog volunteered first then followed by Jackie. Andrea volunteered next much to her sister telling her not to go but she promised her that she would return. Then Morales volunteered much to his wife and kids opposition.

"That's five, anyone else?" Shane said.

"I'll go," Merle said suddenly changing from his relax state in the need for some action. He leaned into his brother and said, "Somebody got to look after the chink, bitches, Negros, and taco bell."

"We leave at first light then," Glenn said ignoring what Merle had just said. He got up and left to get some sleep for he needed to be sharp tomorrow.

At the end of the night when everyone other than Jim, who was on watch duty, went to bed, Merle and Daryl were talking.

"I hope I can find some more of my snuff," Merle said talking about drugs for he only had a few bags left of the good stuff. "Are you going to bang that Jessi girl tomorrow while I'm gone?"

"I don't know," Daryl said knowing that he would not because they had talked about having sex but they wouldn't do it without protection 'For now we wait,' he had told her that.

"You should not wait too long. Hell- I would be knocking uglies every chance I got with her. I'm going to sleep, bid day tomorrow." Merle said and soon loud snores followed.

Daryl who turned on his side listened to his brother snore and fell asleep to it.

At first light many good byes were being said.

Shane walked over to Merle and gave him some extra ammo just in case if things turned bad for he and Andrea were the only ones taking actual weapons. They both did not say anything to each other just Merle taking the ammunition out of the cop's hands.

Daryl and Merle were both leaning against Daryl's truck waiting for the others to finish up their damn goodbyes.

Daryl would not say it but he was a little worried about his brother wondering if he could keep his mouth shut for one afternoon and him returning but he would never admit it. He looked at the group that his brother was traveling with and predicted Merle was going to say something about their races soon or later on the trip.

"Don't touch my stuff. And watch my baby," Merle said to Daryl not trusting anyone else, his baby was of course was his bike.

"Kay," Daryl said but not really paying attention because he had noticed that Jessi was finally up and about.

After about another 15 minutes of good byes which were mostly between Amy and Andrea and Morales and his wife and children they all got in a car and drove towards the city.

No sooner than the dust had settled on the dirt road Daryl pushed off his truck and strutted past Jessi who was standing alone. "Come," was all he said and she followed him.

"I'm going hunting," he said while in the tent to grab his crossbow.

"I'll come with you,"

"No, I'm going for a few days." He said walking past her again and starting to walk down the path with Jessi following him. He told her that he wanted to hunt some bigger game.

She looked at him hoping it did not mean walkers. "Daryl," she started "if this is about your brother leaving then,"

"No it isn't," he said screaming at her. She jumped back in surprise.

"Sorry," he said not meaning to scare her.

"Its okay," she said.

"Maybe I'll take down a deer, that would definitely get us through some meals. I will be back tomorrow. Stay away from Merle when he gets back and there is some jerky in my glove box in my truck if you get hungry and don't want to eat gruel or beans."

"Thank you. Be careful," she said pulling him in for a kiss but first checked her surrounds and saw nobody around. She did this knowing his mind was made up and there was no use to argue because no one could ever change a Dixon's stubborn mind.

He kissed her back with a passion that he had never experienced before knowing why he needed to get away for a few days. It was all because of her and he could not ignore the fact that he could not wait that much longer. He felt her hands move up and wrap around his neck as her mouth opened to his and he began exploring it with his tongue. He put his hands under the edge of her blouse and felt her soft smooth skin against his fingers. He felt her hands slid down from his neck and on to his pecs.

She knew that he was enjoying this kiss hell-she was enjoying it just as much and wanted him to do her right now but instead she pushed him back just to torture him a little more.

"Bitch," he said softly, "It was just getting good," reaching his hand and putting it on his back.

"Jerk," she said smiling knowing he liked seeing her smile.

"Watch your back and keep your gun on you. I told you when I'll be back if not send Merle after me." He said walking off and soon disappearing into the woods.

_Thanks for reading and please review. Tell me if you like it, hate it, etc anything. reviews are the things that make me want to post quicker. - Morti_


	12. Chapter 12

**_Thanks for reading and please review. Those of you that have been reviewing, thank you. I really do appreciate it. For those of you that celebrate it Merry Christmas and for those of you who don't have a good day.-Morti_**

Chapter 12

Jessi walked back to the RV and past Dale who was sitting and relaxing now that he was not on guard duty. "Where did he go?" He asked her.

"Hunting trip," she said going over to have breakfast. She thought about Daryl knowing she was falling for him fast. She started to wonder how long they will be able to keep this a secret.

She watched Shane chop wood and then suddenly Amy rushed to the CB hearing something.

Jessi was close enough to hear but it was fuzz and distorted but she heard, "Hello, can anybody hear my voice?"

Jessi rushed to the CB with Dale standing there to hear Amy say, "Hey Hello,"

The person said something but Jessi could not understand what he said.

"Yes, I can hear you. You are coming through, over.

"Anybody please respond. Broadcasting on emergency channel. Will be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85. If anybody reads please respond."

By now a larger group surrounded the CB and that included Shane, Lori, and Carl.

"We are just outside the city. Damn it. Hello Hello He couldn't hear me I couldn't warn him," Amy said angrily at Dale.

"Try to reach him again. Come on son you know best how to work this thing" Dale said to Shane

"Hello Hello. Is the person who called still on the air. This is Officer Shane Walsh broadcasting to person unknown please respond." After a few seconds of silence Shane reluctantly said, "He's gone."

"There are others. Its not just us." Lori said.

"We knew there would be. That's why we left the CB on." Shane said to her.

"A lot of good its been doing and I've been saying for a week that we oughta put signs on 85 and warn people away from the city" Lori said.

Amy said, "Folks got no idea what they are getting into"

'that's true,' Jessi thought.

"We haven't had time" Shane said.

"I think we need to make time" Lori said

"Ah that a luxury we can't afford. We are surviving here-we are day to day." Shane said.

"And who the hell do we suppose we send?" Dale questioned her.

"I'll go. Give me a vehicle." Lori said.

Jessi almost said I'll go with her when Shane said, "No one goes anywhere alone and you know that."

"Yes sir," she said and walked away.

"Hey hey hey go on and take a seat son, go on" Shane said to Carl.

Jessi grabbed Carl and sat him down but after a few minutes then the boy ran off to find his mother. Once Carl was gone she looked in the direction of Atlanta and saw the sky line and then looked the direction in which Daryl had left.

* * *

><p>Jessi sat down and started her daily chores. After about an hour she decided to go for a walk. She pasted Dale who told her that if she sees anything to holler that he will come running. She grabbed a bucket in hope she found something that they could eat. She started walking into the woods.<p>

About thirty minutes she heard a strange grunting sound. She took out her gun, taking it off safety, and slowly and as quietly started to walk towards the sound.

She followed the sounds and saw two people on the ground. As she got closer she realized what they were doing and who it was. Jessi quickly and as quietly as she could walked away not wanting to disturb those people as tears came to her eyes.

She pasted Carl who was playing with his cars and he asked her because usually she would always say something to him but this time she didn't, "What's wrong Aunt Jessi?" and she continued to walk down closer to the water.

She went to the edge of the water and sat down on the rocks. She grabbed her journal and flipped angrily to the next free page. She took out a pencil and started writing.

_ Shane and Lori are having sex and I saw them doing the deed. What am I going to do? Can I go up and confront both of them? I am after all Rick's sister, Lori is his wife, and Shane is his best friend. I have seen Rick's wedding ring on Lori's necklace. How long have they been together? Was Rick still alive? I knew they were going through some problems was Shane the reason? All these questions are going through my head right now but my major concern is Carl. What if he finds out? The kid is not over his father death and now this. _

_ Is this why Shane is acting like Carl's father and my brother?_

_ When I saw them I wanted to shoot both of them how could they do this? When I lost Kevin I did not even think about another man until I met Daryl and that has been over a year of mourning and I was just his fiancé and Lori is his wife._

_ I can't talk to anyone right now and I don't know if I can even tell Daryl. I trust him enough to keep the secret that we are together but I don't know about this one. He seems sorta like the kind of person that when he gets mad he will blurt anything that is on his mind out and I don't want him to say something and for Carl to overhear. Even if I wanted to tell Daryl I can't for he went on a hunting trip._

_ Some of my tears are falling on the paper I need to stop writing about what I just found out but I should add that Glenn took a trip into Atlanta and brought along a group this time. He has never did that before and I hope it does not change his good luck of returning this time. The group is Glenn, T-Dog, Jacqui, Andrea, Morales, and Merle. I'm surprised that Merle volunteered to go and wonder if he can keep his mouth shut for a few hours._

_ After Glenn's group and Daryl left we heard another survivor over the CB. He has no idea what he is getting into and we tried to warn him. Lori-or for now that bitch/slut-wanted to go put up a sign and I have been saying that for a lot longer than she has._

_ I need to stop writing for now. My head hurts and I'm confused/ mad. _


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jessi started to head back to camp when she heard thunder in the distance.. When she got there, she past Carl, Shane, and Lori as she walked past them while going to the RV. Shane was teaching Carl how to tie knots while Lori was hanging up Carl's clothes. Jess just past them not wanting to say anything now she knew why Shane has taken a special liking to Lori, Carl and Jessi. Jessi now understood all the looks Lori gave Shane.

She walked up to Dale's RV and noticed Amy pacing back and forth and Dale and Jim trying to fix the RV's radiator hose. Jessi knew by the pacing she was worried about her sister.

"Its late. They should have been back by now."

"Worrying won't make it better," Dale said and went back to trying to fix the RV.

As the thunder got closer the sound of T-Dog's voice came over the CB. "Hello, base camp. Can anybody out there hear me? Base camp this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?

Dale rushed up the ladder to the top of the RV while everyone gathered around wondering while T-Dog was signaling them. "Hello, Hello, reception is bad on this end, repeat repeat.."

They all heard T-Dog ask if it was Shane speaking and then continued. "We are trapped in the department store."

"He said they are trapped," Shane said and Jessi took a step closer to Amy and she looked around wondering where Morale's family had gone too.

"There geeks all over the place-hundreds of them. We're surrounded." T-Dog's voice said again though fuzzy

"T-Dog repeat that last. Repeat." Dale said.

"He said the department store," Lori said.

"I heard it too," Dale said looking down at the group gathered around the RV.

"Shane," Jessi heard Lori say and watch as she stepped towards him

"No way. We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group y'all know that." Shane said.

"So we are just going to leave her there?" Amy questioned him

"Look Amy I know that this is not easy." Shane said and Jessi noticed that his eyes were bugging out of his head.

"She volunteered to go. To help the rest of us." Amy said.

"She knew the risks, right. She trapped then she's gone. We just have to deal with that. There is nothing we can do." Shane tried to explain calmly to her.

"She's my sister you son of a bitch." Amy said and ran away from him.

Jessi ran after to her to comfort her and thought 'now next time slap him across the face' in a minute Lori arrived.

Jessi did not look at Lori as Amy cried in her shoulder. After a few minutes Jessi pushed her off her slightly and stood up saying she was going to see how Morale's family was taking it.

As she walked toward Morale's family she heard even more thunder and the humidity in the air told her it was going to rain in the matter of minutes.

Jessi's waist was attacked by Eliza. 'Somebody must of told them' she thought and knelt down and hugged the girl. She did not mind the rag doll pressed in her face. Then Eliza brother came over and hugged Jessi as well.

"Hey, it will I'll be okay," Jessi said and noticed that Miranda came over and got her children off of Jessi.

"I'm sorry," Jessi said to Miranda.

* * *

><p>Jessi stayed with Miranda and watched Eliza and Louis fighting over a stick until she heard a car's alarm blazing over the hills.<p>

Jessi stood up and ran over trying to get a better view of what was making that sound and who was making it.

Shane ran over and said to Dale, "Talk to me,"

"Can't tell yet," Dale said and returned the binoculars to his face.

"Is it them? Are they back?" Amy asked

"I'll be damned," Dale said.

"What is it?" Amy asked again.

"Stolen car is my guess," Dale said taking down his binoculars.

The red sports car came into view and the alarm got louder. It stopped and Glenn got out of the car with a grin on his face.

Jessi walked closer to him and Amy was running towards Glenn for news of her sister.

"Holy crap- turn that damn thing off!" Dale shouted at Glenn.

"I don't know how." Glenn said.

"Pop the hood please," Shane said to Glenn at the same time Amy yelled at Glenn, "My sister answer me,

Glenn put his hands up and got into the car to do what Shane said and popped the hood all the while Amy was yelling at Glenn "Where is she? Is she all right?"

Glenn got out of the car and said, "She's okay."

Amy asked him, "Is she coming back?"

"Yes,"

"Why isn't she with you?" "Where is she?" and the alarm stopped that god. "She's okay?"

"Yes. Yeah. Fine everybody is- well Merle not so much." Glenn said.

Everybody looked relieved including Jessi until the last sentence struck her "Merle not so much," Jessi thought of Daryl. He did not know. I'm going to have to tell him when he gets back. This is not going to be fun.'

"Are you crazy driving this wheeling bastard up here? Are you trying to drawl ever walker for miles?" Shane screamed at Glenn.

"I think we are okay," Dale said with his rifle over his shoulder.

"Don't call me stupid okay," Shane said.

'Well Shane you are,' Jessi thought.

"Well the alarm was echoing all over these hills. Hard to pin point the source." Shane glared at Dale and he continued, "I'm not arguing, I'm just saying," pointing at Glenn told him, "It wouldn't hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time would it."

"Sorry, I got a cool car." Glenn said.

'Yes it is a cool car,' Jessi thought and noticed at the same time as Amy a truck pulled up.

Morales got out first and they all heard the trucks back open and Andrea got out. "Amy" she said. "Andrea," Amy said and they ran towards each other.

Jessi had to look away from them hugging to not to try to remember her sibling. She saw Morales' children and Miranda run to Morales and hug him.

Morales passed Jessi and heard him say, "I told you I'd be back, didn't I," to his family.

Jessi felt bad for herself and Carl at that moment and looked at him for just this second she did not hate her sister-in-law for she was trying to comfort Carl.

Jessi attention was brought back when Dale said, "You are a welcome sight," and hugged Morales. "I thought we had lost you folks for sure,"

"How did you all get out of there, anyway?" Shane asked them thinking they were goners.

"New guy, he got us out," Glenn said still touching his brand new car.

"New guy," Shane repeated.

"Crazy bauto who just got into town. Hey, Helicopter boy, come say hello." Morales said while hugging his wife and daughter.

_**As always thanks for reading and please review. Next chapter Jessi gets reunited with her brother.-cm**_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Guy's a cop, like you," Morales said looking at Shane.

Jessi looked at Shane's surprised face and looked for herself. Jessi froze noticing the guy that looked just like her brother. She blinked thinking it was just the trick of the light and saw it was her brother.

The next thing that Jessi knew Carl started running towards his dad and Rick basically tackled him towards the ground or maybe it was the fact that Carl jumped on his dad and pulled him down in a hug. Rick picked his son up and carried him and went to his wife not noticing that his sister was standing right there. She watched as Lori hugged him.

Jessi's mind was racing thinking that Shane told us he died and if he died then he must be a walker. As soon as she thought the word walker she put her hand on her gun. No, if he was a walker they would not have brought him to camp.

She started breathing hardly when Rick noticed her standing there. Rick stopped hugging Lori and Carl and ran towards his sister. "Jessi," he said putting his arms around his sister. It took a few seconds for Jessi to register that Rick, her brother, had his arms wrapped around her.

She wrapped her arms around him and he lifted her up a little. "Jessi," he said again but over exerting himself.

"Rick," she said she stepped back knowing that look of pain. She looked at where he was shot.

"Just kidding," he said

She stepped forward and lightly slapped him on his face. "That's for that and making me think you were dead,"

"Thank god," Rick said bringing her back into a hug. All this time he was looking for his wife and son and never thought that his sister could be alive as well.

As she was hugging him she looked over at Lori and Shane knowing what they had done.

An hour after the Grimes family reunion, Jessi was changing her brother's bandages. While changing the bandages Rick told her about Morgan and Duane Jones, how he woke up in the hospital, coming to Atlanta, his first real walker, how he met up with Glenn, and what happened in Atlanta.

"What's that?" he asked her noticing a notebook on her bed.

"That's a record of who is alive and a medical journal," she said going over to it. She grabbed a pen and brought it over to him. "I keep record of who is alive.." she opened to the first page and showed him the list of all the people that are alive.

She wrote down his name and once she was done Rick asked her to add Morgan's and Duane's to the list.

She looked at Rick telling herself that she should tell him what she knows about Shane and Lori but could not at least not today. 'He just found us I'll wait a day.'

After Jessi had checked Rick out she then checked T-Dog after hearing Rick tell her what Merle did to him. She first checked his teeth hoping none of them are broken for if they are there is no chance to fix them- she was not a dentist- and she would have to pull any that gave anybody trouble. She then checked his ribs and found none broken.

After she sent T-Dog away, Jessi grabbed her journal and wrote in a shaky hand from all the excitement of the day that

_My brother is alive. Yes, Rick is alive. I can't put into words how happy I am. Glenn and the group brought him back. He was the survivor on the CB earlier today. Yeah!_

_ Daryl is still gone and now I'm going to have to keep that secret from my brother. Daryl- Merle- he doesn't know that he was left behind and dead. Oh, and Rick was the one that hand cuffed him to the roof. Now I'm confused on what to do and even more confused on what to do with the bitch/slut and Shane situation but Daryl should be back tomorrow. The saying of being stuck between a rock and a hard place could not be truer right now. Do I side with my brother or Daryl? Yeah even more decisions._

* * *

><p>When Jessi had finished writing she made Dale his drink and walked out of her tent to give it to him and to get some dinner. She past Daryl's truck and took out a piece of jerky.<p>

She ate it quickly then walked to the fire pit and joined the group. She noticed that Lori and Carl were leaning into Rick instead of being crowded around Shane.

Once Rick had eaten some of the beans with squirrel meat tossed in he started to tell the others about the story of being shot. Jessi did not need to hear this and dozed off a bit.

"Disoriented, I guess that is what comes closest. Disoriented, fear and confusion, all those things-but disoriented comes closest." Rick said as Jessi looked around the group Amy was leaning Andrea, Dale was drinking water, Glenn and T-Dog were sort of watching Rick but with glum faces. Jessi heard the sound of night insects including crickets, thunder, and the sounds of the fire cracking as her brother talked.

"Words can be meager things. Sometimes they fall short." Dale said putting down his cup of the green stuff that tasted like mint that Jessi gave him.

"I felt like I had been ripped out of my life, put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was stuck in some coma dream. Something I might not wake up from-ever."

"Mom said you died," Carl said looking up to his father.

Jessi watched as Rick looked at Lori then back at his son and smiled saying, "She had every reason to believe that but don't you ever doubt it."

"When things started to get really bad- they told me at the hospital that they were going to med evac you and the other patients to Atlanta and that never happened." Lori said Jessi looked up at Lori and started to remember all the things that she had done in that hospital. She thanked Daryl in her mind for making her to tell him her stories.

"I'm not surprised after Atlanta fell and from the look of that hospital it got over run." Rick said.

"It did," Jessi said to her brother.

"Looks don't deceive, I barely got them out."

"The hospital was over run a long time before. We all knew it -the doctors and other nurses- even if we wouldn't say it. It was just a matter time before the military would be ordered to kill the doctors and nurses in the hospital because they could not risk us being infected. Shane saved my life when he did not let me go come get you. For if they would of saw me they would of killed me. I'm betting they also killed the patient's families that were there at the time of the massacre for a while everyone thought the virus could also be passed through the air. If that were the case they would have killed both Carl and Lori if they saw them there." Jessi said.

"You know I can' tell you how grateful I am too you, Shane. I can never begin to express it." Rick said looking at his sister knowing she was hiding something that happened there but she will tell me in time maybe.

"There goes those words falling short again." Dale said.

They all sat their thinking of what Jessi, Dale, Rick, and Shane had said and no one said anything until they heard the sound of a log being thrown on a fire. Shane said looking at the culprit, Ed and said, "Hey Ed, want to rethink that log?" Shane asked and everyone turned towards the Peletier fire.

"It's cold man,"

"Cold does not change the rules, does it? We keep our fires low, just ambers, so we can't be seen from a distance, right."

"I said its cold. Why don't you mind your own business for once?"

That's when Shane got up and walked over to their fire knowing that he wasn't going to abide by the rules.

Jessi could not hear what Shane said put Ed responded in, "Go on pull that think out. Go on." Jessi watched as Carol got up and took out the log. She could not help but feel sorry for her and Sophia.

She watched as Shane and Carol talked for a few seconds then came back.

"Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon? He won't be happy that his brother was left behind." Dale asked.

"I'll tell him. I dropped the key, its on me." T-Dog said but thought if Merle was thank bad how bad can Daryl be.

"I cuffed him, that makes him mine," Rick said.

"Guys, its not a competition. I don't mean to bring race into this but I might sound better coming from a white guy." Glenn said looking at T-Dog not knowing if Daryl was just as racist and a bastard like his brother.

Jessi continued to listen but did not want to she knew Daryl had a temper and did not know what was going to happen tomorrow when he got back.

"I did what I did. Hell, if I'm going to hide from it." T-Dog said thinking it over and realized it was the right thing to do even if Daryl was going to stomp his ass.

"We could lie." Amy said being childish.

"We tell the truth. Merle was out of control something had to be done or he would have gotten us killed." To Lori she said, "Your husband did what was necessary and if Merle got left behind. It is nobody's fault but Merles'."

"And that is what we tell Daryl. I don't see a rational discuss to be had from that, do you?" Dale asked Andrea and she thought it over put her head in her knees. "Word to the wise we are going to have his hands full when he gets back from his hunt."

"I was scared and I ran. I'm not ashamed of it." T-Dog said looking at the group. Jessi looked at him and noticed the dried blood on is Brooklyn shirt.

"We were all scared. We all ran. What's you point?" Andrea asked him.

"I stopped long enough to chain that door." Everyone looked at him and he continued. "Staircase is narrow. Maybe a half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at all one time. It not enough to break through their, not that chain, not that pad lock. My point- Dixon's alive and he is still up hand cuffed to that roof. That's on us." T-Dog said getting up and walking away.

Rick looked at Jessi and asked her, "How long can he survive without food and water?"

"You can survive without food for -well in most cases patients on life support feeding tubes can survive between 10 and 14 days but most doctors agree that if you are healthy you can survive up to eight weeks without. But water is a whole other story with his weight, age, condition of body, Atlanta heat, being stuck on a roof top with no shade, and other things," she said other things not wanting to tell them that he was using cocaine and she knows about the drug use for Daryl, "I say three to five days but dehydration can set in as little as an hour given these condition." Jessi stopped herself from going any farther so Carl would not hear and not wanting to think about how he would die. 'He is a bastard but he is Daryl's brother. "Dale is right its not going to be a picnic when Daryl gets back."

"Is he close to anybody other than his brother?" Rick asked for maybe it would be better if they were present when they told Daryl the news.

"Well in a way Jessi." Andrea said seeing them together a few times lately.

"Yes, I have seen them talking a lot more lately," Dale said.

Jessi looked at Dale wondering how much he knows. He sits there on top of the RV day in day out watching everybody. Does he know about Shane and Lori?

"What?" Shane said sharply remembering when Daryl had dragged her over to the fire pit.

"Shane, its not in the way you think," 'Yes it is' "Yeah, we talked a few times,"

"About?" Rick asked

"He told me a few things about the area like a few wild berry bushes near here but they are not ripe yet and he saw that I use herbs and agreed to give me whatever he found."

"I think that is enough of that discussion," Lori said.

Lori, Carl, Rick, and the others left and the only people that were left were Jessi and Shane. Jessi was ready to go up on guard shift but Shane told her that he would do it for her.

"Thanks," she said and went into her tent to think about all the problems she had and she thought that he needed to get his head clear of what Lori and him did and now that Rick was back.

_**Thanks for reading- Morti**_


	15. Chapter 15: Ten Minutes of Hell

I don't own anything you recognize but Jessi and anything else i do. Enjoy

Chapter 15

Jessi awoke early to get a jump start on the wash. She use to hate doing wash with a washing machine and now that she was forced to do it by hand it sucked even more. She gathered up five days worth of laundry: tee-shirts, bras, underwear, shorts, jeans, and socks. It wasn't much but she told herself when this first started that she had the right to clean underwear everyday if she was forced to wash her clothing and everybody elses'.

She went around and grabbed other people's clothing, 'this sucks,"

She went over and joined Carol with the ironing. Ironing gave her time to think and came up with that 'Daryl would go to Atlanta as soon as he gets back and finds out about his brother and Rick would go with him because of his guilty conscious.

She kept ironing even when her brother came up and asked Carol about washing his clothes.

She saw him in her sights when he went over to talk to Lori and she wondered what they were talking about.

She saw Shane come up in his jeep with fresh water "A reminder: Boil before use," he said and everyone grabbed their fair share of it.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" a woman screamed. That quieted everyone quickly and Jessi heard Carl scream "Mom," followed by Sophia screaming for her mother as well. Those sounds froze the blood in her veins but unfroze remembering the scream came from Carl.

Jessi dropped her iron and put her hand on the gun and brought it out. Taking the safety off she scanned the area trying to pin point where the scream had originated. She saw most of the men including her brother and also Lori take off in a dirrection. She followed Glenn, Dale, Rick, Shane, Morales, and Jim over to where they were running. When she saw Sophia and Carl she made sure none of them were bite or scratched and then. She did not stay behind with Lori or Jacqui and ran ahead.

She saw all the men gather around the zombie man. He was gnawing down on a deer with a huge piece of bloody throat in his hands and double fisting it. Then she noticed the bolts in the deer's side. They were Daryl's she was sure of it after all the time she had spent with him.

The zombie stood up and immediately she noticed his yellow but blood shot eyes stare right at her brother. Deer blood was all over his face and clothes. Gashes in his forehead and then she saw his teeth. The teeth look discussing with the fresh blood covering them, there was no lips around his mouth, and you could see the bottom part of the mandible bone protruding from the face. The walker growled at her brother then made a rush for him like the deer was nothing and his favorite treat was human flesh.

Rick bashed him first, then Shane with the back of his gun, followed by Glenn, then Morales and finally the zombie was on the ground. They all continued to beat at it in the head to try to kill it.

'To much energy to kill one walker,' Jessi thought and watched as the group of men continued to bash it and put her gun on safety and put it away. She looked at his red hand and then looked up to see Andrea and Amy were watching it as well as this unfolded.

It took Dale with his ax to finally stop the walker and decapitated his head. Jessi watched as the head rolled a little away from the body and it stopped moving.

"It's the first one we had up here. They never come this far up the mountain." Dale said looking at Shane.

"Well they are running out of food in the city-that's what," Jim said it bugged Jessi a little that he just called them food.

The crunching sound of leaves and twigs brought the group back ready for another. Shane scanned the area in front of him looking for where the sound had originated with his shot gun at the ready.

From behind a pile of rocks Daryl stepped out carrying his crossbow.

"Oh Jesus," Shane said and dropped the gun.

Jim turned away from Daryl relieved it wasn't another walker and Jessi thought she saw him roll his eyes.

"SON OF A BITCH. That's my deer." Daryl said angry looking at the deer on the ground and a big part of the throat area missing. "Look at it all gnawed on by this.." stepping over his deer and to the walker's corpse he started kicking it with all his might , "Filthy!" "Disease Baring!" "Mother-less," "Poxy" "Bastard!"

"Calm down son, that's not helping," Dale said.

"What do you know about it old man." Getting in Dale's face he yelled, "Take that stupid hat and go back to Hong Golden Pond." Dale profound at the young man's breath made his eyes water.

Exhaling Daryl went over to the deer carcass and pulling out the three arrow bolts. "Been tracking this deer for miles. Drag it back to camp cook us up some venison. What you think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?" Daryl said while pointing at it and when he looked Jessi thought he saw her but didn't and looked to Shane.

"I would not risk that." Shane said with shot gun over his shoulders.

"It's a damn shame. I got some squirrel about a dozen or so that will have to do," fixing the rope with the squirrels on it looking at all the men.

The zombies decapitated head started to move and opened its mouth and eyes. The mouth opened and closed.

"Oh god," Amy said going away looking like she was going to be sick and Andrea followed her sister.

"Come on people. What the hell?" Daryl said taking aim at the zombie's right eye and firing.

Jessi jumped at the sight of an arrow protruding through a zombie's eye right into the brain and zombie immediately stopped moving. She watched as he stepped on the zombie's forehead and extracted the arrow bolt. "Gotta be the brain. Don't you know nothing." Daryl said looking at them like they were the stupidest people on earth and walked away. He walked past Jessi and just kept walking mentally promising her a squirrel later.

Jessi watched as her brother looked at Daryl's back and knew that face for he guessed that was Daryl Dixon the man he had to tell that they left his brother on the roof.

They walked back behind Daryl and heard him call for Merle. Jessi looked down at the ground thinking its going to happen now.

"Merle get your ugly ass out here. Got us some squirrel. Let's stew them up," she watched as he put down his bow 'one weapon down,' and he continued to take long proud strides.

"Daryl," Shane said calmly, "Why don't you slow up a bit I need to talk to you."

Daryl stopped and turned towards Shane as he walked forward. Jessi watched as Daryl kept one of his hands on the rope that had his squirrels. "About what?" Daryl said as soon as Shane had said Merle Daryl's body language changed.

"About Merle. There was a problem in Atlanta," Shane said walking ahead of Daryl and then turned around to face him when he said Atlanta.

Daryl looked around at the group now surrounding him and caught a glimpse of Jessi standing in between the jeep and the red car.

He looked back at Shane and started pacing asking him, "He dead?"

"Not sure," Shane said calmly again.

"He I either is or he ain't," Daryl said yelling at Shane.

"There is no easy way to say this so I'll just say it," Rick said walking towards Daryl. Jessi closed her eyes for a second but opened them wanting to know what would happen next.

"Who are you?" Daryl asked the new man with a baggy white tees shirt and jeans approach him.

"Rick Grimes,"

"Rick Grimes," Daryl said mocking his name but then with the last name Grimes he looked at Jessi and saw her nod saying he was family but that would not stop Daryl from yelling at him, "Got something you want to tell me?"

"You brother was a dangerous to us all. So I handcuffed him on a roof hocked him to a piece a metal. He's still there." Rick said.

Jessi watched her brother and noticed T-Dog walk over with firewood in his arms.

Daryl turned his back and Jessi watched as he looked like he was whipping tears off his face before saying to Rick, "Let me process this. Saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and left him there." Screaming at Rick in the end.

"Yeah," Rick admitted.

Jessi took a step forward but the next thing she knew Daryl threw the squirrels at Rick's head which Rick easily ducked and Shane came over and put his shoulder into him knocking Daryl to the ground.

Daryl immediately going to his fight response and pulled out his knife. You could hear the sound of the knife cut the holder as it came out and he got to his feet.

"Watch the knife," T-Dog said.

"Daryl don't," Jessi said loudly but he ignored her.

Grunting Daryl swung his knife at Rick but Rick got out the way with his police training coming back to him quickly.

Daryl made another quick at Rick and missed.

Rick had caught his other hand and Shane joined in disarming Daryl and putting him in a choke hold.

While Shane pulled him away from his weapon and Rick putting it in between his belt and jeans Daryl yelled, "Best let me go,"

Fight Daryl Shane said, "I think it is better it I don't,"

"Choke holding is illegal," Daryl said still fighting.

"File a complaint," Shane said after a few seconds with Daryl keep fight, "Come on man we can keep this up all day," Rick got closer to both of the men.

"I would like to have a calm discussion on this topic. You think we can manage that? You think we can manage that?" Rick asked again seeing the man getting tired and could not breath as well knowing he would soon stop.

Jessi got closer to the three men to hear the sounds of Daryl trying to breath and Jess was trying to remember how long Kevin tell her it took to leave a man unconscious from a proper choke hold.

Jessi watched as Rick looked up at Shane which meant for Shane to let him go which Shane did and Daryl dropped to the ground trying to catch his breath.

Rick got close to Daryl again and said to the man trying to catch his breath, "What I did was not on a limb. Your brother does not work and play well with others." And said that in his matter of fact voice that Jessi knew all to well.

"It's not Rick's fault. I had the key and I dropped it." T-Dog said locking eyes with Daryl wondering if he was going to try to kill him.

"Couldn't pick it up," Daryl said questioning him.

"I dropped it in a drain,"

And Daryl closed his eyes and hunched over and started crawl on the ground before getting up on his feet. "You think if that is suppose to make me feel better it don't," Daryl said throwing dirt at the ground walking away.

"Then maybe this will. I chained the door to the roof so the geeks could not get at him. With a padlock," T-Dog said telling him that his brother was alive.

"That's got to count for something," Rick said and Jessi watched as Daryl glared at her brother.

He turned again and she watched as he whipped his tears from his eyes. "Hell with all yah." He screamed. "Just tell me where he is so I can go get him." Remembering all the times when he had to go bail him out of jail or got drunk and thrown out of a bar.

"He'll show you. Isn't that right?" Lori said looking directly at Rick.

Looking around at the group but then saying, "I'm going back," just like Jessi predicted he would.

Jessi watched Lori go into the RV where Carl was, Daryl walk away going to grab his crossbow and clean his arrows, and Rick walk back to his tent.

Jessi followed her brother for she was not going to try to stop him. "Rick, can I come in?" she asked outside his tent.

"Are you going to try to stop me?" thinking Lori sent her.

"No,"

"Then come in,"

She walked inside the tent and saw that her brother was changing. "The last ten minutes have been crazy."

"Yes they have,"

"Can I have the Dixon's knife back?"

"It's more like a machete," he said giving it to her.

"It's Rambo's knife," she said taking it, and wrapping it up in a towel before putting it in her bag.

"Will you watch Carl while I'm gone?"

"Yes but be careful," she said going out of his tent and going into hers. She grabbed some mint leaves from the stash and squished them into a paste and added them to an empty water bottle. Going outside she filled up the water bottle before screwing on the top.

She walked over to Daryl and gave him back his knife he nodded to her in thanks. "Here," she said giving him the water bottle. "When you find you brother give him this. Give it a good shake and he is supposed to drink the green stuff. It will help him regain his fluids faster." And left him to walk over and sit by Amy and Andrea even if that meant being next to slut/bitch.

* * *

><p>Jessi saw Rick come out of his tent with his Sherriff's deputy uniform on and Shane walking behind him and Shane saying, "Rick I don't, could you throw me a bone, man. Could you just tell me why- why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon."<p>

Jessi looked at Daryl with his bow in his hand and was happy he did not load it yet, "Hey," he said while pointing all his arrows in his hand at Shane, "Choose you words more carefully."

"Douche bag is what I meant. Merle Dixon. Guy wouldn't give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst.

"What he would or wouldn't do does not interest me. I cannot let a man die of thirst. Me thirst and exposure. You heard what Jessi said he is probably already having symptoms of dehydration. We left him like a animal caught in a trap that is not way for anything to die let alone a human being."

"So you and Daryl that is your big plan," Lori said.

Jessi watched and Rick looked at Glenn and Glenn moaned, "Ah, come on,"

"You know the way. You have been there before no problem. You said so yourself. It's not fair for me to ask but I will feel a lot better with you along. I know she would too." Rick said as Glenn took off his cap ran his fingers through his hand and then put his cap back on.

"That's just great you are going to risk three men." Shane said glaring at his best friend.

"Four," T-Dog said and she saw Daryl look up at him and return to cleaning his arrow with a, "Ah, my day keeps getting better and better don't it."

"You see anybody else stepping up to save your brother's crack ass."

"Why you?"

"You wouldn't begin to understand. You don't speak my language."

"That's four," Dale said keeping count.

"That's not just four. You are putting every one of our lives at risk. Just know that Rick. Come on you saw that walker it was here. It was in camp they are moving out of the city if they come back we need everybody we got. We need them here, we need them to protect camp," Shane said trying to get his friend to see that he is right.

"Seems to me what me need most here is more guns."

"Right guns," Glenn said remembering the bag.

"What guns," Shane asked becoming a little more interested.

"6 shot guns, 2 high powered rifles, over a dozen hand guns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta when I got swarmed it is just sitting there on the street waiting to be picked up."

"Ammo?" Shane asked still interested more in the guns then Merle.

"700 rounds assorted,"

"You went through hell to find us. You just got here now you are going to turn around and leave." Lori said.

Jessi was confused didn't no more than ten minutes ago she said he'll show you.

"Dad I don't want you to go," Carl said to his dad thinking maybe it if came from him he would stay.

Rick looking at Lori she started, "To hell with the guns. Shane is right- Merle Dixon- he is not worth one of your lives even with guns thrown in."

Jessi was surprised Daryl did not say anything at that or hit her.

Jessi watched Rick walk to his wife and Lori stand up. "Tell me make me understand."

"I owe a debt." "To a man I met and his little boy." He saw look down at their son but Rick stopped her from speaking with his own comment of, "Lori, if they hadn't taken me in-I'd died. It is because of them I made it back to you at all. They said they follow me to Atlanta. They will walk into the same trap I did- if I don't warn them."

"What's stopping you?" Lori asked him relieving she losing this argument.

"Walkie talkie the one in the bag I dropped. He's got the other one our plan was to connect when they got closer,"

"Is it our walkie?" Shane asked.

"Yeah," Rick more moaned then said realizing his mistake.

"Use the CB what's wrong with that." Andrea asked not understanding the simple solution.

"The CB is fine it's the walkies that suck. They date back to the seventy and don't match any band width not even the scanners in our cars."

"I need that bag," Rick said before walking to his son. "Okay," he asked him after explaining the situation they were in.

There were goodbyes being said between the well liked people but Jessi walked over to Daryl.

He had already gotten his bow ready and had checked it. "Have a minute?" she asked him as he walked over to the truck to get in.

"Yes," he said pulling her around the side of truck so not to be seen. He put his hand on her mouth so she wouldn't scream. "Hey I got you," he said letting his hand go off her mouth.

"You need to stop doing that," she said balancing herself against the truck but knew Daryl would not let her fall.

"What do you want?" he said impatiently and she understood his inpatients.

"Here, take this," she said taking out her gun and shoving it in his hands.

"No, I'll feel better if you have it" giving it back to her. Once again not arguing with a Dixon

"I hope you fine Merle. Daryl don't kill my brother" seeing the look in his eye saying you said your brother was dead, "Yes he is my brother," she put a small kiss on his check and left him.

Daryl climbed into the back of the truck and watched as Rick and T-Dog went over to get bolt cutters.

After a deal had been sprung Daryl stepped over Glenn and slammed his work boot a few times into the trucks horn.

Rick was ready to climb in but Shane stopped him to give him some rounds. He only had four of them then finally Rick climbed in and they were on their way.

Jessi walked down the road after the truck not knowing if she was ever going to see them all again. But the real question the people in the truck should be asking were they going to see them all again.

**_Thanks for reading and if you know the reference of Daryl's knife- good for you:). If you have time drop a review, i like and appreciate all your comments.-Morti  
><em>**


	16. Chapter 16

_**Thanks for reading as always i own anything you don't recognize from the show or comics and please review.-morti**_

_** oh less than a month until it starts again -actually 28 days for the people in the US **_

Chapter 16

Jessi went back to doing laundry to keep her mind off the group that now went to Atlanta for guns and Merle. She hoped that all of them came back alive. She walked down to the quarry with Andrea, Amy, Carol, Jacqui, and Ed followed with the car bring down the laundry.

A little while after they got there Shane and Carl came down to catch frogs and Jessi rolled her eyes at Shane.

Jessi did the laundry with no oral complaints because she knew that complaining would not make the pile in front of her go away faster or fix it but her hated the fact her clothes were drenched with sweat and the water she was washing clothes with. She did not like washing clothes with the sun on her back though made her even hotter than she was right now. Feeling hot made her think of Daryl pushing her off a rock and that got her to smile. She wanted to write but instead she washed clothes with the others and it did not help the fact she was washing Daryl's clothes and boxers.

She began to wonder did this guy know what soap was? 'But the dirt is part of what you find of attractive on him'. Or know he could change his clothes every other day at least- even if that gave her more laundry to wash. She knew that everyone hated the Dixon brothers' laundry because it took two good washes and scrubbing before it was clean and the fact it was worn by the Dixon brothers so she was stuck doing all of Daryl's while Carol did Merle's. It wasn't like it was a lot of laundry but boy was it filthy.

Jessi began to wondered would Shane or Rick one day leave the Dixon brothers because what one of them said or did. She knew that even though most of the group maybe everyone except her hated or despised those two they did have their uses. For one after Shane's rant on man power they would be two more to the group, two they had weapons, and the fact that Daryl hunted and knew the woods made him value aspect. She knew that if Shane threw Merle out of the group Daryl would go with him and that would be the end of their relationship.

She needed to stop thinking about Daryl with his boxers in hers hands and thought if she was a betting woman that he would go commando but wow at his boxer size. 'Get your mind out of the gutter right now, Jessi' she thought squeezing the water out of his green boxers.

Jacqui and Andrea went back to get the next load of laundry and she heard Jacqui complain about the division of labor. "Can somebody explain to me how the women wound up doing all the work?" Jacqui asked seeing Carl and Shane splash around in the water.

"The world ended didn't you get the memo." Amy said.

"It's just the way it is," Carol said continuing to wash clothes.

"Its keeping my mind off Rick and the others right now,"

"Hey, how does it feel to have him back?" Amy asked.

"Awesome the Grimes siblings together again this world just got interesting."

"Now you feel bad about all the tears and not talking?" Andrea asked.

"Hey I was getting through other things like try being a medical professional and have the dead walking around. Then trying to come up with a causable explanation your head will hurt." Jessi said leaning over and massaging her forehead.

"Did you see last night when Shane's face when he thought you and Daryl were together?" Amy asked changing the conversation off the end of the world.

"Yeah that was priceless." Andrea said answering her sister

"I really do mess my maytag," Carol said suddenly.

"I miss my bins, my set nav." Andrea said

"I miss my coffee maker with that gold drip filter and a built in grinder, Honey." Jacqui said going on about a coffee maker.

"My computer, texting," Amy said.

"Your turn Jessi," Jacqui said.

"Well my bed, music, no even better running water what I wouldn't give for a long hot bubble bath or a bathroom and all you can use toilet paper."

"I miss my vibrator," Andrea said suddenly.

"Ooooo," Jacqui and Jessi sounded.

And the look that Amy gave her sister was priceless.

"Me too," Carol said after looking back at her husband first.

Laughter erupted from the group drawing attention to Ed. "What's so funny?" he asked smoking his cigarette.

"Just swapping horror stories Ed." Andrea said.

Seeing that he was not leaving they went back to work and did not talk but Andrea asked him, "Problem Ed?"

"None that concern you. You oughta focus on your work, this aint no comedy club."

They continued to wash but when she Lori approach Shane she got mad and tried to ignore the fact that Lori was having sex with him just a day ago and now she is trying to play the amazing wife.

Ed continued to watch them while smoking his cigarettes.

"Ed, tell you what you don't like how your laundry is done you are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself. Here." Andrea said throwing a shirt at Ed fed up with him with the way he treated them and mainly his wife.

Ed caught it and throw it right back at her. Andrea looked at him in disbelief at what he just did.

Ed told her, "It ain't my job missy," and continued to go back to smoking his cigarette.

"Andrea don't," Amy said warning her sister not wanting to cause trouble.

Jessi stood up and watched Andrea tell him, "What is your job Ed? Sitting on your ass, smoking cigarette."

"Sure is hell listening to a smart ass upidy bitch tell you what. Come on lets go" Ed said and Carol got up.

"I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed," Andrea said.

"I say it is none of business. Come on now you heard me." Ed said and Carol continued to walk but slowly.

"Carol," Andrea said telling her she did not have to go.

"Please it does not matter," Carol said softly walking around Andrea.

"Hey," Ed said to Andrea and she turned around to look at him. "Don't think I won't knock you on your ass just because your some college educated cuss all right." Offending Andrea and Jessi. "Come on now or you will regret it later," Ed said to Carol.

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later Ed. Yeah we've seen them." Jacqui said.

"I've treated them," Jessi said.

"Stay back. Come on. You all keep prodding the bull here now I'm done talking," Ed said grabbing Carol arm.

Jessi's anger nearly exploded and she grabbed onto Carol's, "Carol," they said not wanting her to leave.

"You don't tell me what I tell you what," he said finishing smacking Carol across the face. Jessi grabbed her and pulled her away from Ed shielding her with her body while the others started fighting with Ed as he tried to reach for her again. She wanted to shot him for laying a hand on her friend.

Shane came out of nowhere grabbing Ed by the collar of his shirt and throwing him to the ground. Shane went over and started laying punches on Ed, right in the face. After Shane had thrown the eleventh punch they all decided that was enough and began calling his name and telling him to stop.

After a few more he did but Shane told him, "If you put your hands on your wife or your little girl or anybody else in this camp I will not stop next time do you hear me? Do you hear me? I'll beat you to death Ed." Shane said angrily the second time and added one more punch for god measure. When he stood he kicked him in the ribs.

Andrea could not hold Carol back anymore and she rushed to her husband's side saying she was sorry. Jessi watch him walk away looking like he had lost his mind.

Jessi hated what she was going to do next but walked over and went to Ed. She hated herself for help bandaging up his wounds.

Once she got him up to his tent she cleaned his wound and then left, not bothering to give him any pain medicine he didn't deserve it but he did not deserve that Shane cause his left side of his face to look like.

She walked to her tent stopping before going in and gazed over at the Atlanta sky line hoping praying that the group was alright. She knew that Andrea and Amy were going fishing but she did not join them today because she really needed to write. 'Well I really don't fish -I can't.'

She grabbed her journal out of her backpack and a pen:

_Daryl came back and now is gone. He is going to the city for Merle and a bag of guns. I'm praying that he does not kill my brother or T-Dog. When he came back he saw that his deer had been gnawed on by a walker. Yes there was a walker in camp today but it is dead even further telling me to keep my gun and extra clip on my body at all times. He was so angry when he found out and tried to stab my brother. It's not like I wouldn't be angry either if I found Shane had left my brother alive and in a coma to be eaten by geeks. I would of done the same thing.  
><em>

_ Is it wrong for me to have feelings for this man? Does he care about me? Or is he just waiting around to get in my pants then toss me aside like I'm nothing? Will he hit me if he becomes angry enough? I have seen the other side of him and that is nice but the side everybody else sees is terrifying. I really don't know what I'm going to do. I'm scared if the walkers move out of city and come here. I'm scared of telling people about Daryl and I. Then I'm scared about telling Rick. He just got back- how can I tell him is wife was cheating on him with Shane. All I know is when that does happen I'll keep Carl safe._

_ I have decided that i will tell Rick after the situation with Daryl and Merle blows over, Rick needs as many allies as he can get especially with handling Merle.  
><em>

_ Oh and Ed got what he deserved today dished out by Shane._

Jessi sat down her pen and put her journal back in its plastic bag then back into her backpack. Since she kept her bag with her always it was the safest place for a thing as valuable as that.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jessi got up out of her tent just in time to see Andrea and Amy walk past with more than a dozen fish.

"Woo baby would you look at that. Haah," Morales said excited at all the fish.

Andrea walked over and gave it to him. "Ladies because of you my children will eat tonight." He was surprised at the weight of the fish.

"Thank Dale it is his boat and gear," Andrea said.

Jessi smiled as Amy did a little dance and Jacqui giving Andrea a high five and Jessi clapped her hands.

"Mom look at all the fish," Carol said coming over and touching one. "Wow"

"Yeah wow where did you two learn to do that?" Lori asked.

" Our dad," Amy said.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Carl asked.

"Sure we can teach you all about nail knots and stuff. If that's okay?" Amy asked Lori.

"You won't catch me arguing," Lori said.

"Dale when was the last time you ordered those line reels those are a disgrace?" Andrea asked.

"I don't wanna alarm anyone but we may have a bit of a problem." Dale said pointing of the direction of Jim on the hill digging.

A whole lot of them walked up the hill and Jessi was ready for the intervention they were going to have with Jim.

Jim continued digging and did not notice and if he did not acknowledge their presence.

"Hey Jim," Shane said but Jim continued to dig. "Why don't you hold up give us a second please."

Jim finally stopped and said, "What do you want?" like nothing was going on.

"I'm just a little concern that's all." Shane said.

"Dale says you have been out here for hours." Morales.

"So,"

"So why you digging. You heading to China, Jim. What?

"Doesn't matter I'm not hurting anyone." He said and started digging again

"Except maybe yourself. It is a hundred degrees today. You can't keep this up," Dale said.

"Sure, I can watch me." Jim said cutting a rot with his shovel.

"Jim, they are not going to say so I will. You're scaring people. You are scaring my son and Carol's daughter."

"They got nothing to be scared of. What the hell people I'm out here by myself why don't you all go and leave me the hell alone."

"We think that you need to take a break okay. Why don't you go get yourself some shade, some food. Tell you what maybe in a little bit I'll come and help you myself. Jim. What tell me what's it about? Give me the shovel." Shane said.

"Or what?" Jim asked him.

"There is no or what. I'm asking you I'm coming to you and asking you please I don't wanna take it from yeah.

"If I don't, then what? Then you are going to beat my face in like Ed Peletier aren't yeah. You have all seen his face what's left of it. See that is what happens when someone crosses you."

That was different, Jim."

"You weren't there. Ed was out of control he was hurting his wife."

"That is their marriage, that is not his. He is not judge and jury. Who voted you king boss?  
>"I'm not here to argue with you just give me the shovel okay." Shane said reaching out for it.<p>

Jim pulled it out of his reach and said, "no, no, no," pushing Shane pack a little with his hand and then swinging the shovel at him.

Shane quickly tackled him to the ground. "Stop it,"

"Alright, alright,"

"Jim just stop it. Hey, hey, hey, Jim. Jim, no one is going to hurt you hear me. Jim, No one is going to hurt you, okay?"

"That's a lie. That's the biggest lie there is. I told that to my wife, my two boys. I said it a hundred times it didn't matter they came out of nowhere there were dozens of them. Just took them right out of my hands. The only reason I got way was because the dead were to busy eating my family," Jim told the group while Shane was handcuffing him.

Once Shane had gotten Jim to a tree and tied up she let Jessi check him out. "He needs some water," she said and Shane went to get some.

She watched as Jim apologized to the kids who were doing school work.

Shane, Jessi, and kids left to clean some fish.

After they were done Jessi brought her blanket over to the fire pit where Morales was explaining that he built up the rocks a little higher so the flames could be higher but still hidden but she still put on a sweatshirt.

When the fire was hot enough to cook the fish Jessi went to grab some salt and pepper from her tent. She wanted the fish to be well seasoned and good for she missed home cooked meals. She ate to hide her worries of the fact that Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and T-Dog should be back by now. She swallowed her worries with the fish but was not drinking her beer that she was given for she was going to give it to Merle when he got back as a small peace offering.

"Oh man that is good," Morales said and everyone nodded in agreement. "I got to ask you man it driving me crazy." He said looking at Dale.

"What?" Dale asked confused

"That watch," Morales said and Dale smiled and started winding it.

"What's wrong with my watch?"

"I see you every day. Same time winding that thing like a village priest saying mass.

"I wondered this myself." Jacqui said.

"I don't see your point,"

"Unless I miss read the signs the world seems to come to an end or has at least hit a speed bump for a good long while,"

"But there is you everyday winding that stupid." Morales said with food in his hand.

"Time is important to keep track at least the days at least. Don't you think Andrea? Back me up here."

Andrea just smiled like she didn't know what he was talking about.

As Dale told the story about time Jessi remembered learning about William Faulkner in school.

Amy stood up after their little chuckle.

"Where you going?" Andrea asked.

"I have to pee. Jeez you try to be discreet around here." Amy said walking towards the RV.

Everyone started laughing.

"Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Agggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Aggghhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Everyone looked up at Amy's scream and there was a zombie ripping a piece of flesh out of her arm. Everybody stood up at once and reached for a weapon or loved ones.

Jessi stood up, dropping the plate of food to the ground. and grabbed her gun. 'Thank god Daryl didn't take it' she thought clicking it off safety just in time to kill a walker that was coming straight at Dale.

The walkers were surrounding the group on all sides but Jessi kept fighting just like everybody else who had a gun or some other type of weapon. No matter if she put down one there would be three to takes its place and she knew she had to keep count of the number of rounds in her gun.

When one of the walkers a lady with a dress went around Shane and reached out for Carl Jessi came up behind it and shot it in the head.

She saw the blood cover her nephew but went back to firing at all the other ones that were surrounding the group. "Come on stay close," Shane yelled. She kept them back firing in a circle Shane was yelling at them to get to the RV. 'No if they surround us then we are done for'.

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" She yelled as she came to her last round and needed to reload her gun. She had to do it as quick as she could for a woman walker was about 6 feet away from her and could easily make Jessi a meal.

She ejected the clip as quick as she could and let it fall to the ground. Her left hand immediately went to her pocket where she kept her extra clip and pulled it out while backing up away from the walker.

A zombie came out of nowhere and grabbed her by the wrist on her right hand and she dropped the gun.

She heard the sounds of more gun fire but her main interest was on the zombies face more important its teeth. They were stained yellow and had blood dripping from them and for a split millisecond she froze not knowing what to do and accept her fate of being walker food.

The teeth were less than a millimeter away from making contact with her skin and she could feel the walker's breath on her skin making her hair stand up when all the sudden the switch flew back on.

She pulled her arm out of the walker's strong grip and slung her elbow, with all her strength, in an upper wards angle and she hit it right in the nose. The man walker fell backwards and Jessi scrambled to her gun.

She jammed the magazine into the gun until she heard the magical click and then pressed down on the slid release and the gun was cocked. She turned over just in time to see the walker woman advance on her and in a split second she pulled the trigger once aiming at the walker woman's head and Bang Bang. The walker fell forwards landing on her with its head blown off and head and brain matter covered her shirt, face, and got into her hair.

Jessi discussed pushed the walker off her and wondered where the other gun shot came from that destroyed the walker's head.

"Jess!" Daryl said pulling her off the ground. "Where you bite!" He asked her roughly searching her body for bite markers hoping he was able to get to her in time. For he saw Jessi being attacked by a walker and it try to bite her but she was able to elbow it in the face but did not know if its teeth were able to puncher the skin. He could not see any because of the stupid sweatshirt.

He yanked the sweatshirt over her head and began searching her arms for bite marks or scratches seeing he found nothing and she shook her head 'no'. He saw her eyes were completely scared and had tears in her eyes and she opened her mouth to say something but the only thing that came out was Amy and she rushed to her.

Daryl went over to the walker that Jessi had elbowed in the face and saw that it was dead. 'How'd she do that?' he asked.

Jessi ran for the young woman but she was already dead and could not do anything for her. Andrea started yelling at Jessi to do something threw her tears and saying no and realizing her sister was dead and would not wake up.

"Andrea, I'm so sorry. she is dead," Jessi said standing up and going over to Rick, Lori, and Carl, her family like everybody else was holding the lovd ones they still had left.

Carl let go of his mother and buried his face into Jessi's body and hugged her while she joined in the group hug with Rick.

"I remember my dream now, why I dug the holes," Jim said and everyone looked around at the bodies littering the camp site.

_**For those of you who have not heard The Walking Dead AMC announced that they want 16 episodes for season 3. Yeah!:))))))))**_

_**As always thanks for reading and if you like please review- Morti  
><strong>_


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Jessi watched as Shane and Rick put down two walkers that were still eating the emaciated Ed. She saw how Sophia clung to her mother and felt horrible for the little girl for she was the one that found her father and the walkers. Her screams alerted the others that walkers were still in camp.

"Sophia," she said going over to the little girl knowing that she would be haunted by the image of her father's body even if he was a wife beater. "Carol, why don't you two go wait in my tent. Sophia I'm sorry about your father."

She led both of the females to her tent but stopped to retrieve her extra clip that she dropped earlier.

Walking into her tent she sat Sophia down on her cot. Carol stood next to her daughter trying to comfort her.

Jessi went over to a suitcase pulling out a rubber maid container filled with ammo for her gun and began reloading. She turned around and saw both of them watching her. She notched the tear stains on the young girl's face and her body even with be wrapped with Jessi's sleeping bag and was still shaking.

"Will there be more?" Sophia asked.

"I don't know," Jessi said. "Stay here both of you. I'll go get stuff from your tent."

"I'll come with you," Carol said but Sophia clung to her mother even more.

"Don't leave your daughter, Carol," Jessi said and Carol sat down next to her daughter.

Jessi looked over the destroyed camp and saw the dead bodies scattered everywhere. They sky was just starting to get lighter and she nor any of the other could not wait for day light.

Walking over to Carol's tent she past Daryl and remembered she had not seen Merle yet but maybe he is out checking the perimeter something that Rick and Shane have been doing every hour. Then she past Andrea who had not left the side of her dead sister yet. Jessi looked in on three bodies and stepped into the tent and immediately the smell of rotting flesh hit her. She was use to the smell of blood but not the smell of that much rotting flesh and wished for the smell of formaldehyde in her nose right now.

Her mind started to wonder as she gathered the clothes for both of the women. It immediately went back to last night with the breath of the walker and its mouth try to bring her arm into the walker's mouth like her arm was a pig's rib and it was smothered in bbq sauce at a rib eating contest.

As she picked up a pair of clothes for Sophia that was lucky enough to escape the blood and she tried to dismiss the image out of her mind but could not. She could not believe in that moment that her body froze up and if she did not start to fight back she would be dead right now or infected. 'I don't want to die.' She told herself.

"Ay," she heard Daryl say and he was in entrance of the tent.

"Daryl," she said adding the clothes into a bag.

"This is all going to have to be burned," he said dodging around the question that brought him here.

"It should," she said grabbing the stuff and stepping over the walker's body and wanted to exit the tent because the smell was starting to get to her but Daryl was standing in the way. "Thanks for not taking my gun." She added.

Not getting out of the way he asked her for he needed the reassurance from a medical profession that his brother was still alive, "If Merle cauterized his hand is he still alive?"

"What?" she asked not understanding and that was not a normal question to be asked.

"He cut off his hand and cauterized it because your damn bastard brother hand cuffed him. Is he still alive?" he hissed in her face and reached out forcefully and grabbing her shoulders.

She thought for a second, "Probably yes,"

"Probably woman?" he said angrily not giving him an exact answer.

She stood her ground and looked in his eyes, "Daryl, I can't give you a definite answer because I don't want to give you false hope." She said reaching up and touching his face slightly and he let go of her. "Your brother is resourceful and knows how to survive, so I'm guessing yes."

"Uhm thanks," he said calming down trying to get use to her touching him.

She kissed his cheek softly. "Enough with those stupid cheek kisses I want the real thing or nothing at all." He said and putting his mouth on hers forcefully covering her squeak. He remembered yesterday why he could not just leave Rick to deal with those Mexicans who took Glenn for he knew if something happened to him she probably would not forgive her.

She kissed him back but stopped after a minute or two and backed away from him. "I know its going to be hard but please try to forgive my brother. He has a real guilty conscience and is going to beat himself up about Merle. just don't make it worst. Please."

She walked around him and brought the female's clothing back to them. She entered her tent and set the clothing down on top of her suitcase she tried to be quiet as she could for Sophia finally cried herself asleep.

Carol and Jessi left the tent knowing that there was work that had to be done.

* * *

><p>Within an hour, the survivors minus Andrea and the children were lifting bodies and bringing them over to the burning pile.<p>

Daryl was the first and only one who wanted to pick up a pick ax and started going around and putting a swing into the heads of the walkers or the camp's dead to make sure they were actually dead. He was doing just doing what had to be done. He came upon the walker that Jessi had killed with an elbow to the face and started wondering how she did that and figure it was some sort of thing that Kevin, Shane, or Rick taught her or it was just some freaky medical thing that he would have to ask her later.

When the first burning pile was started, people started to get sick because of the smell of burning flesh and hair. It made Jessi a little sick to her stomach but she was more use to it than the others because she worked in the burn unit for two months in New York. Jessi made sure everyone took appropriate breaks not wanting to faint or get dehydrated.

Jessi watched as her brother went over to Andrea to talk to her about Amy but Andrea aimed her gun at Rick and he walked away.

Jessi joined the group of Shane, Rick, Dale, Daryl, Carol, and Lori about the Amy situation.

"You all can't be serious letting that girl hamstring us. The dead girl's a time bomb." Daryl said pointing over to Amy while he had a blood pick ax slugged over his right shoulder.

"What do suggest?" Rick asked him.

Daryl took a step closer to Rick which unsettled Jessi a little not knowing what he was going to say or do. He started with, "Take the shoot." Then, "Clean, in the brain from here." With his left hand lifted up pointing two fingers in head region and finished with. "Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance." He added the last to show off a little and to be like if you are not going to do it then I will, just give me a gun.

"No, god sakes let her be." Lori said.

Which caused Shane to look at Rick and Daryl to walk away a little pissed and went to go back to work. He past Jim and said because he was in a daze state, "Wake up Jimboo we have some work to do," and continued to walk over but put down his ax to help Morales pull a body towards the burning area.

Jessi stood up and watched as Morales and Daryl pulled one of the camp's dead over towards the burning pile.

"What are you guys doing? This is for geeks are people go over there." Glenn said.

"What's the difference they are all infected." Daryl said looking up at Glenn.

"Our people go over there." Louder he said, "We don't burn them." Then dropped his voice down and said, "We burry them. Understand?"

Morales and Daryl bent down and grabbed the body under the arms while Glenn said, "People go over in that row over there." They started pulling the body over to the people section.

Jessi saw Daryl's face as he pulled over the body which was mad because of what Glenn said to him. "Believe it yourself?" He asked Morales and dropped the body.

"Shut up man," Morales said.

And Daryl walked away, "Y'all left my brother for dead. You had this coming." Daryl screamed telling them it was their fault the walkers attacked them and they loosed people and walked back to get his ax wanting to take his anger out on something.

Jessi went over and help Morales pull the body a little more away from the RV so no one trip coming out from it. Straightening up the body, she crossed the guys arms and closed one of the eyes that had come open a little.

The next thing anybody knew Jacqui was screaming and yelling, "A walker got him. A walker bit Jim."

Everyone started to encircle him and did not know if they should approach him or stay away from him not until Jim said, "I'm okay," Jessi's mind started rushing thinking back to the patients she had to treat and then killed.

"Show it to us." Daryl said quickly walking over to him with his pick ax. "Show it to us," he said again dropping the ax of his shoulder ready to attack him

Jim did just the opposite and went for a shovel to protect himself from the crowd.

"Easy Jim," Rick and Shane said trying to get the man to calm down and let him be the one to show it to them but T-Dog rushed Jim and grabbed his arms to restrain him causing him to drop the shovel with a thump.

Daryl rushed over to him and lifted up the shirt for all of them to see a bite mark on Jim's chest.

It was deep and red and Jessi knew that he was sure infected.

Daryl and T-Dog immediately got away from them while Jim repeated over and over again. "I'm okay,"

Everyone stood around him wondering what they could do for the man and how long would it take for him to before a walker.

"Damn it," Jessi said out loud.

**_Sorry it took so long to update and thanks for reading. Like this story, hate this story, something you want to add then please review if you have time- morti_**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Jessi put on a pair of latex glove and cleaned Jim's wound with an alcohol swab and checked his temperature with a mouth thermometer. It read **100.5** already. She had to do the exam under the watchful eyes of Daryl and Rick which reminded her of medical school. She softly talked to Jim but did not know what to say. She knew it was just a matter of time before he died and resurrected as a walker and she could not stop it. She hated feeling like that but she did.

* * *

><p>Everyone other than the kids and Andrea were gathered around in a circle trying to figure out what to do.<p>

"I say we put a pick ax in his head and the dead girl's and be done with it." Daryl said with his trusty bloody pick ax in his hands.

"That's what you want if it was you?" Shane asked Daryl.

"Yeah and I'll thank you why you did it." Daryl said and Jessi looked at Daryl.

"I hate to say it, never thought I would -but maybe Daryl's right." Dale said and Daryl gave him a look saying 'good old man you finally agree with me maybe you'll not so bad after all'.

"Jim is not a monster Dale or a rabid dog. He's a sick man." Rick said

Dale was trying to argue with him but Rick continued "We start down that road where do we draw the line?"

"The line is pretty clear- zero tolerance for walkers- end of debate." Daryl said.

"What if we can get him help? I heard the CDC was working on a cure." Rick said remembering what Morgan had told him.

"I heard that too. I heard a lot of things before the world went to Hell." Shane said.

"What if the CDC is still up and running?" Rick asked them wanting them to agree with him

"Man that is a stretch rate there." Shane said in the matter of fact voice.

"Why? If there is any government left any structure they would protect the CDC at all cost. Wouldn't they? I think the CDC is our best shoot. Shelter, protect." Rick said.

"Rick I want those things too. Now if they exist there at the army base- Fort Benning." Shane said wanting the people to side with him.

"That's a hundred miles in the opposite direction." Lori said.

"That's right. It's away from the hot zone. Now listen to me- if that place is operational it would be heavily armed- we'd be safe there." Shane said.

"The military were on the front lines of this thing- they got over run. We've all seen that. The CDC is our best choice and Jim's only chance." Rick said and Jessi wondered if they had found a cure yet they could have it has been about two months.

Jessi watched as Rick and Shane argued about where to go and saw Daryl turn around and look at Jim and she did not want to see his face.

He turned back to the group and looked at Jessi remembering what she had told him about what she did and that there was no cure. "You go looking for aspirin- do what you need to do but lets grow some balls and take care of this DAMN PROBLEM." Daryl screamed the last part and raised the ax over his head as he made a rush for Jim ready to kill the still living man.

Rick, Shane, Jessi immediately went to stop him and Rick drew his revolver and pointed it at Daryl's head.

Daryl heard the click of a gun being cocked next to his ear and knew it was Rick pointing his gun at him again. He stopped his swing.

"Hey! Hey! We don't kill the living,"

Shane stepped in front of Daryl and Jessi stepped behind him as the final barrier between Jim and Daryl. She knew- well hoped- that Daryl would not try anything further with her in the way and why she rushed to put herself in harms way for Jim.

Daryl being a smart ass said, "That's funny coming from a man who's pointing a gun at my head." And Rick did not put his gun down.

"We may disagree on a few things but not on this. You put it down. Go on." Shane said calmly and Daryl looked at Shane and Jessi and she nodded.

With a huff he slammed his ax down and that is when Rick finally pushed the hammer forward on his gun. Then Daryl walked away and so did a lot of people.

"Come with me," Rick said going over to Jessi and Jim. He grabbed Jim's arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Where are you taking me?" Jim asked.

"Somewhere safe." Rick said and Jessi followed.

* * *

><p>They moved him into the RV and Jessi bandaged the wound and took his temperature again. "Do what you can," Rick said and left to have another discussion with the group.<p>

"So Jessi, how long do you give me?" Jim asked. His body already started to feel worst then when he had the flu.

"At the hospital people generally survived two to three days." She said not wanting to lie to dying man.

"Can you do anything?"

"I could try to give you some medicine but it won't ease it." Jessi said.

"Don't waste your medicine on me." He said and started to cough. She ran to find a bucket and put only found a pot. She came back right in time for him to spit out blood.

Jim cleared his throat.

She sat down on the bed opposite to him and pulled out her journal, medical journal, and a pen and began to update them. She started with the medical journal and began to update 15 people statuses. 13 people were dead from the walker attack and she wrote next to each of their names how they died and put Walker attack and in big letters taking up two valuable lines put DECEASED.

She went to Merle Dixon section and wrote: **amputated hand, cauterized it **switching over to a pencil she wrote **Missing.**

She then flipped to Jim's page and looked up at the man then back down and she wrote in pen **bitten by a walker on his chest** but did not write deceased yet just in case the CDC had found a cure.

**Bang **

Both of them heard the gun shot and it startled them. Jim closed his eyes wondering if that is going to be his fate and if Rick and Shane could protect him from Daryl.

Jessi went outside to see what happened and found out that Andrea had put a bullet in the brain of the reanimated walker sister. She went over and got some water for Jim then went back inside.

* * *

><p>She told him about what Andrea did and went to start writing in her journal.<p>

_ Last night after dinner the camp was attacked by walkers. We lost 13 people and that was Amy, Ed, Mary, Ben, Carlos, Samantha, Tony, Fred, Alex, Taylor, Alicia, John, and Michael. Jim was bitten and I'm sitting here writing as he watches me knowing I'm writing about him. Andrea put down her own sister. I feel bad for Sophia and Carol even though Ed was a wife beater he did not deserve to die by being eaten alive or having Sophia and Carol find his corpse. Oh, and Merle did not return with them and he had cut off his own hand then cauterized it- I feel bad for Daryl and I know he is angry with my brother._

_ Last night when the camp was attacked two walkers came after me. When I was reloading my gun one grabbed my arm and caused me to drop my gun and I froze up and excepted the fact that I was walker food. It took a few seconds but I snapped out of it and slammed my elbow into its nose. I went to get my gun and I was able to shoot the walker just in time but Daryl had my back and shot the same walker in the head like I did. But then today when we found out that Jim was bitten last night and Daryl made a rush to kill him I was not afraid to stop him. _

She stopped when Carol came in and said it was time for the funerals.

They walked up the hill and watched as the bodies were being put into the graves. Andrea had refused help from anyone as she dragged her sisters wrapped body into a grave but he helped her anyways a little.

Jessi always hated funerals and now hated them even more. She could not imagine burying Rick, Carl, or Daryl and was scared of that day and prayed it would never come or they one day could be burying her.

* * *

><p>After the funerals the other started to walk down back to camp but Jessi stayed behind with Daryl who was messing around in with his Ford trucks' bed.<p>

She walked over to him and saw in his hands a blue bandana that was wrapped around something.

"What's that?" she asked him.

He opened it and there was Merle's right hand.

She looked away from the severed hand a second but looked "Oh, Daryl. What are you going to do?" she asked him.

"I'm going to bury it." he said grabbing a shovel out of the back of his truck.

He started to dig a hole next to the make shift graveyard.

She watched him as he put the hand into the hole and filled it in.

"He aint dead," he said while kneeling next to the freshly moved dirt to reassure himself but that did not stop his mind to think back to what Merle had said the day he buried his dog "You would do it for me," those words of his brother were echoing in his head.

"You are just getting rid of the hand that's it," Jessi said coming to him and putting the hand on his shoulder gently going on with him that he was not dead and she prayed that he wasn't for his sake.

"You joined your brother and Shane to stop me from killing Jim. Why?" he asked her trying to figure that out from earlier today for he was doing it for her so she wouldn't have too and what she had told him.

"Have you ever killed a man?" She asked him.

"No but I wanted to kill T-Dog when we found Merle's hand."

She sat down on the ground next to him, "Well that's sort of understandable but but it still isn't right. This world has gone to shit but Jim is not dead yet Daryl. He is still a human being and trust me you won't like how it feels after you killed him even if you were trying to protect yourself -that's why I stopped you. I think you are a lot stronger than me but it would still mess you up."

"Then, what is with your family trying to shoot me in the head?" he asked.

"I don't know but you do have a big head -an easy target." She said and he rushed and tackled her to the ground and started kissing her neck.

"Daryl," she said groaning liking what he was doing to her and continued down her neck to her shoulders. Then he noticed the blood stains all over her clothing unlike her.

"Girl, you're filthy." He said sitting up.

"So are you."

"Yes but I'm a man and a Dixon."

"Do you know what soap is?" she asked him

"Yes," going on with her but really had no idea what was going on

"Then use it, too."

They sat there a minute but Daryl stood up first and pulled Jessi up into him as usually. She walked down to the camp even though Daryl offered to drive her but she wanted to walk to clear her head.

* * *

><p>Jessi went back into the RV and went to check out Jim's condition which had gotten worse. His fever had gone up and he was spitting up more blood.<p>

Rick watched as her sister gave him another examination and cleaned the wound again.

"Is there anything we could do?" he asked her.

"I told her not to waste the medicine." Jim said.

"Jim," Rick said trying him to reconsider.

* * *

><p>When it started to get a little darker, Jessi stepped outside for some fresh air since Jim had fallen asleep.<p>

She joined the group that was gathered around the fire, Jessi looked over at Andrea and she was asleep which was good. She watched as Shane, Dale, and Rick come back from their sweep and Shane started talking to them all. "I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now look there are no guarantees I'll be the first one to admit that. But I have known this man a long time. I trust his instincts I say the most important thing is that we need to stay together. So, those of you that agree we leave first thing in the morning."

Jessi knew that she was going to the CDC for she did not want to leave her family.

That night most people turned in early though they would not be sleeping much in fear of another walker attack. Jessi kept going in to check on Jim and had to help him to go to the bathroom a few times and checked his temperature. He was getting much worse. Dale and Daryl were on the first part of the night's watch duty with Rick and Shane on the second and Morales and Glenn on the last one.

Jessi stepped out into the night and went to grab the water that she had been warming up by the fire. She brought in the soup pot into the bathroom and began washing herself. She had everything she needed in her book bag: a full set of clothes(bra, undies, tee shirt, and capris), shampoo, a bar of soap, deodorant, toothpaste, and a tooth brush these were here luxuries.

She washed her hair until it felt clean then cleaned her body with the soap and a wash cloth. She changed into a pair of clean clothes and combed her hair, she felt nice again.

She checked on Jim one more time but he was still asleep.

She went outside of the RV and climbed up on top with Daryl and Dale. "Hoow heee doing?" Dale asked while yawning

"Not good. Go down and get some sleep, Dale, I'll keep watch with Daryl until Shane and Rick come,"

Dale looked over to Daryl which he nodded since the old man could miss something if he was not sharp.

"Thanks but call if you see anything." The old man said going down the ladder and into the RV.

They waited a few minutes before talking to each other.

"You have on different clothes," Daryl said noticing she was not in the bloody clothes that she was in all day and she was clean while he was still in his.

"Yeah I washed myself."

A little more quiet between them. "Daryl are you coming with us tomorrow or you going to stay another few days looking for Merle?" she asked him.

"Well… uhm if Merle didn't come back then he does not want to be found and its safer in groups since someone has your back so yah." He said to her but then added, "Then there is this with you and me."

"Oh," she said happy to get her answer that he saw staying with them as she watched Shane and Rick come out of their tents to come and relieve them.

"I thought Dale was on watch with Daryl." Rick said.

"Dale was tired and I needed some air." Jessi said to her older brother. "Night," she said and went down the ladder with Daryl nodding and going after her.

"Don't know where I'm going to sleep?" Jessi said talking to herself quietly with Daryl walking behind her.

"Huh?"

"I let Carol and Sophia sleep in my tent since well, you saw theirs. I guess I'll just sleep in the RV."

"Sleep with me,"

"Daryl sleep or 'sleep'?"

"You know what I mean." 'but I wouldn't mind that kind of sleep with you.'

"Just checking," she said following him into his tent.

Though it was very dark inside the tent she could make the shape of two beds.

Daryl turned on a small lantern. It wasn't a very bright light but it cast a dim light on everything so they could see a tad bit better.

"Thanks," she said going over and sitting on a bed which was actually Daryl's. She leaned over and untied her shoes then took them off before climbing into bed.

* * *

><p>Daryl watched as she climbed into his bed and quickly fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. He went over to his bed and took off his own shoes and climbed into bed next to her. He could have of slept in the other bed but that's Merle's and had the whole bed but Jessi slept on her side right on the edge so there was enough room for him lay down comfortably.<p>

He was a little nervous that she did not take off her gun and he fell asleep thinking about that and about Merle.

_**Thanks for reading and one more week until TWD comes back in the US! Yay!**-**Morti**_


	20. The Road to the CDC

Chapter 20: The Road to the CDC

Daryl woke up slowly and opened his blue eyes after maybe four hours of sleep. He had to let them adjust to the light for a few seconds. He looked over to Jessi who had her back turned towards him. He saw that she was on the edge of the bed and wondered how she had not fallen off in the middle of the night or was even comfortable.

He slowly reached out his hand and touched her back with just his fingertips but then turned over from laying on his back to on his side and pulled her into him in a bear hug.

She immediately started to struggle against him and reached for her gun.

Daryl put his hand on top of her gun holster to stop her from shooting him and said into her ear in a slow sleepy voice, "It's jus meh."

Realizing it was Daryl she closed her eyes and buried her head back into the pillow that they were now sharing and mumbled, "I hate you," before she fell back to sleep immediately.

"Come on wake upp." He said shaking her a little to wake her back up again.

"No, sleep." And she made a grunt sound and she sounded just like a teenage student being waken up for school by her mother.

"You need to leave."

"No,"

"Jess," he said slowly and she opened one eye to look at the man that she was lying in his arms. He was rather scruffy this morning and she liked that.

She closed her eyes and started to snuggle with him a little. She felt safe wrapped in his arms and did not want to move but wanted to move because his shirt smelt like decomposing flesh.

He would not admit how good it felt with her wrapping around him. He added a small kiss to the top of her head and smelled her hair. It smelled like roses with a little hint of lavender.

"Fine, if you want me to leave then I'll leave Daryl." She said sitting up breaking their little moment because he smelled really bad. She did not mind the dirt or the sweat but the smell of decomposing flesh and she did not know if she stayed in his arms that she could restrain herself.

"Ah don't want ya to leave. You just need too." He said sitting up as well, grabbing her, and pulling her into a few rather passionate kisses.

They had to stop when they both desperately needed air. Jessi pulled down her shirt that Daryl had pushed up with his hands while they were making out. She smiled shyly then reached down and to put on her shoes.

He watched her as she put on her shoes and then brushed her hair before going to his bag to grab new clothing for himself and a bar of soap.

Putting her hair brush and deodorant away and putting her backpack on she was ready to go outside of the tent.

"Check outside first," she said ready to leave but not wanting anyone to see that she had spent the night in Daryl's tent.

He went outside first to check no one was around and he gave her the all clear.

She walked around him and went back to RV to see how Jim was doing while Daryl went down to the quarry to wash up. She looked up at Morales and Glenn who were the only two outside and it looked like they had not seen where she had spent the night.

She made a quick check up on Jim who had woken up when she walked in. She saw how pale he was and went over to wipe of his face with a cool compress. Her hand touched his forehead once and she knew the fever was getting worse. She made him drink some water and ear something and he fell back to sleep quickly.

Jessi went out and walked passed Daryl who had come back with clean clothes on and hair wet-obviously that he had bathed. Jessi went inside her tent and started to pack up as quickly and quietly as she could, not wanting to wake up Sophia and Carol.

"Morning," Carol said surprising Jessi.

"Morning," Jessi said and Carol went on to wake Sophia.

* * *

><p>Within an hour everyone was up and packing up camp. Jessi was able to finish quickly with the help of Carol who helped her take down the tent in the repayment of letting her and Sophia sleep there last night. She went over and put her stuff in Carol's car as more repayment for letting them stay in the tent.<p>

Daryl went past her pushing Merle's bike to his truck then somehow got it in the bed of his truck by himself not wanting anybody to help him.

She watched Rick go up to higher ground with the walkie talkie and then return shortly after sun rise.

Once everybody was finished packing up and added whatever could be scavenged from the now deceased survivors stuff the all gathered in a circle around the cars. T-Dog and Andrea stood together, Rick and Shane with the precious bag of guns at their feet, Carol and Sophia were together, while Carl and his mother were sitting on the hood of Carol's car, all of Morales's family was standing together in a tight knit circle, and Dale, Daryl, and Jessi were standing together.

Shane was the one who addressed everyone not Rick. "Now everybody listen up, those of you with CBs we will be on channel 40 but lets keep the chatter down okay. Now you got a problem don't have a CB, can't get a signal, or anything at all you will beep your horn one time. That will stop the caravan. Any questions?"

She had none but she was watching Daryl as he wiped off sweat of his brow line when "We're ah—not going," Morales spoke up suddenly surprising everyone.

"We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people." Miranda said trying to explain what her husband had spoken.

"If you are your own you will have no one to watch your backs." Shane said trying to get them to reconsider or at least explain to do them their choice.

"We'll take the chance. I got to do what is best for my family." Morales said and Jessi watched as Eliza bury her face into her mother's body.

"You sure?" Rick asked him.

"We talked about. We're sure." Morales said strongly reaffirming his decision.

Seeing that Morales has made up his mind and that he was not staying with the group and did not try to stop them, "Alright, Shane." Rick said before going down and opening up the bag of guns.

"Give him a 57," Shane said and watched as Daryl attention suddenly changed while he was biting his nail. He stopped when he saw Jessi staring at him and when Rick came over with the gun and Shane with some ammo.

After Rick had given Morales the gun Shane said while giving the box to him, "The box is half full."

Daryl smirked when he heard that and turned around in the circle hating that ammo and a gun were being given to those people.

Jessi gave him a deathful glare that said shut up and walked over to give Miranda and the children a huge. She knelt down in front of the children and they rushed into her arms. She spoke in Spanish to both of the children, "Siblings are each other's best friends. Be careful, watch out for yourselves, and your parents." She stood up when Lori was done hugging Miranda and wanted to kiss the children on the top of their heads.

Jessi really did like this woman who was now leaving them and hugged Miranda tightly. "Good luck," she said to the family not wanting them to go and went into her bag and gave them her extra first aid kit.

"Thank you and all of you for everything," she said.

Miranda went to hug Jacqui and Eliza gave Sophia her doll other goodbyes were said and Rick told Morales that, "If you change your mind channel 40."

Morales and his family walked away to their car and Shane asked Rick, "Do you think our odds any better? Come on. Let's go! Let's move out."

* * *

><p>Carol, Sophia, Rick, Carl, and Lori all rode in a car, Andrea and T-Dog rode together, both Daryl and Shane rode by themselves, and Dale, Jim, Jacqui and Jessi rode in the RV. The caravan was five cars long and they were going to take the long way around the city and go to the CDC the back way so they decreased their chance in running into any walkers.<p>

As they drove it became clear Jim was in pain and Jacqui was helping Jessi tend to him. They took turns of holding his hand and wiping him down after a few yells because of the pain Dale slowed down a little.

They kept driving and every time the RV hit a little bump he would get let out a yelp and he had started to cry a little for it hurt so bad.

Jessi hated the way she was feeling right now and she had no idea how to stop it. She hated feeling useless.

**Pop spew spew spew **

Was what everyone in the RV heard and the RV came to a sudden stop, Jessi grabbed onto Jim's hand as he gritted his teeth and he squeezed her hand hard making it turn white.

Jessi turned and watched Glenn and Dale get out of the RV and she expected everyone else had as well to go see what had happen and she exchanged a glance to Jacqui.

Then Jim started on a coughing fit that would not stop and brought up a lot of blood. He looked exhausted and his breathing was shallow and he could not get enough oxygen. Jessi picked up his hand and looked at the bed of his fingernails and they were starting to turn blue. Jacqui stood up and left Jessi and Jim together.

* * *

><p>Rick and Dale were gathered around the opening of RV to the engine and Dale said, "I told you we would never get far on that hose. I needed the one from the Cuban."<p>

"Can you jerry rig it?" Rick asked trying to think of an option.

"That's all its been its more duct tape then hose and I'm out of duct tape." Dale said in defeat.

"I see something up ahead. A gas station if we're lucky." Shane said looking through the binoculars.

"Y'all its Jim. Its bad I don't think he can take any more." Jacqui came out as quick and returned as quick just giving her enough time to deliver the message.

That message depleted some of their hopes but Shane said, "Hey Rick want to hold down the fort while I drive ahead and see what I can bring back."

"I'll come too," T- Dog said not wanting him to go alone for someone alone can easily be outnumbered and

"Y'all keep your eyes open we'll be right back." Shane said.

Daryl went over and took a step into the RV to get a look at Jim and Jessi. He saw the back of Jessi and the man she was sitting next to and he did look real bad. He got out quickly not wanting to track attention.

Then Rick came in next but he made it the whole way back to the sick man. "We'll be back on the road soon." He said to the pair of them.

"No, Christ my bones. My bones are like glass every little bump God this ride is killing me. Leave me here. I'm done. Just leave me I want to be with my family." Jim said and Jessi looked up at her brother wondering how is he going to respond to that.

Rick came closer to the man and sat down on a chair. "They're all dead. I don't think you know what you are asking. The fever- you have been more delirious more often than not." Jessi put her hand on her brother's should.

"I know don't you think I know." He pushed himself up higher on his pillow and he winced then breathed sharply with the pain.

"Rick," Jessi whispered but did not get his brother's attention.

"I'm clear now Rick in five minutes I may not be. Rick, I know what I am asking. I want this." Jim said defeating her brother and Jim obviously picked up on that. "Now that is on me, okay, my decision not your failure."

It took a few seconds for Rick to register what was just said to him. "Rick," Jessi said going over to helping him stand up and help him walk out the RV. "Come on brother," she said helping him closer to the front. She let go of her brother when they got closer to the door knowing that the group saw him as a leader and she did not want to see him as weak.

They both stepped out of the RV and the group gathered around them waiting for the news. Jessi stood next to her brother as he told the group that Jim wanted to be left here. "It's what he says he wants." Rick said to finish.

"And he is sane?" Carol asked wanting to make sure the fever was not messing with his head and he is just saying things.

"I wound say yes," Rick said.

"I agree," Jessi said knowing of how many times he had called her and Jacqui Alicia which they suspected was his dead wife and she looked down at her feet but was she was still listening to the conversation.

"Back in the camp when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down, you missed understood, I would never go along with callously killing a man." Jessi looked up from her feet and looked at Daryl who was the only one that knew her secret but he did not notice her looking at him because he had the face saying, 'I thought you were alright pappy and I was wrong.' "I was just going to suggest that we ask Jim what he wants and I think we have an answer." Dale continued trying to tell the group it was not their right to make decisions for the man.

"We just leave him here, we take off, man I'm not sure if I can live with that." Shane said and Jessi thought 'sure you can leave my brother and then screw his wife. Yeah Shane I have not forgotten what I saw.'

"Its not your call either one of you," Lori said.

The matter was settled and Rick and Shane went inside the RV to retrieve Jim. He could barely stand up on his own and they both had to drag him up the hillside. Everyone followed after them with Jessi and Daryl bringing up the rear. He saw that she was crying and that caused her to misstep and fall back but Daryl caught her and put his hand on the small of her back to catch her.

She looked back at him and wanted to go back to the morning hours with just her and him she said thanks and began to walk up the hill again.

Rick and Shane set down Jim right next to a tree. "Hey look another damn tree." Jim said looking up at one that he was not going to escape this time and he smiled at the end.

"Hey Jim you know it doesn't need to be this." Shane said trying to give the man another option.

"No, its good. The breeze feels nice." Jim said and he has gotten a lot paler and Jessi knew it was not going to be long before the fever killed him. Shane backed away defeated but said, "Alright."

Jacqui went to pay her respects and told him to not fight it, Rick went up and tried to give him a gun but Jim dismissed the thought saying you are going to need it, Dale went up and told thanks for fighting for us, and nobody else went up to say a verbal goodbye. Daryl and Jessi were the last ones to leave and Jessi watched as Daryl just nodded wondering what he was thinking since he tried to kill that man. Jessi went up to Jim and said, "Thanks for everything." Then went down to follow everybody else, she caught up to Daryl and asked him if she could ride with him not wanting to stay in the RV anymore.

"I guess so," he said leading her back to his truck. They both climbed in and when the caravan started moving they sat there in silence. She really did hate the silence and wished the radio was working but if she turned it on all she would hear was that a emergency distress signal. She was still crying as she leaned against her arm that was on the door. Daryl really did not know what to do for he had no experience with crying women.

After a mile she stopped crying and reached for her bag that was sitting in between them. She took out both of her notebooks and in her medical journal she wrote in Jim's place **Walker**. She flipped the page to the Morales's family and wrote **Unknown** in each of their spaces.

She closed that journal and opened her real one.

_We left Jim on our way to the CDC. I really hope my brother is right and it is still in operation I deeply need a good rest. Also Morales's family has left us._

"What are yah writing about?" Daryl asked trying to break the silence.

"Jim, going to the CDC, Morales's family leaving us."

"What is with your stupid brother giving away weapons and ammo?" Daryl asked her seeing him give away the most precious things they had now and went onto tell her about what happened with the Spanish speaking gang protecting the elderly.

"He is not stupid and he would give you a weapon if you left. We should talk about us and when we should tell the group."

"Tell the group, why do they need to know I say they should keep their noses out of our business."

"Daryl, I just don't want to hide it anymore." She said turning away and looking to the overgrown grass that was on the side of the roads.

"Okay when do you want to tell them?" he said

"In a few days once everything calms down a little more."

"Fine."

"Daryl," she said cautiously.

"Huh,"

"Thanks, you're not so bad once someone gets to know you,"

He really did not know how to respond to that and he saw Jessi put away her journals and put her bag onto her back and take out her gun and clicking the safety off so her gun was cocked. Daryl looked on the sidewalks and saw a few dead walkers lying on the ground-dead with head shots.

"We must be getting close," she said and then they past a sign saying the CDC was just a mile away and Jessi could smell rotting flesh and began to think something was wrong.

"Stay close to me I'll protect you." Daryl said.

As they got closer to the CDC the smell became more horrific. Jessi guessed there must be at least a thousand of dead walkers to make that smell.

The caravan came to a stop and everyone got out. Almost everyone wanted to puke at the smell but it was getting dark and they could not waste time as they made the way towards the building.

Jessi lost count at the number of bodies she saw and was careful were she stepped just in case any of them were not really dead yet. She remembered that somebody once told her that smell was the weakest sense and that she should breathe normally and she would not even notice it in a few minutes. Jessi wondered if any of the deadsoldiers were Kevin's friends.

They all kept as quiet as they could as they walked to the build careful not to attack attention or trip on the bodies. Jessi kept one of her eye on Carl and one on Daryl since he was on the edge. Something was seriously wrong and they needed to get into the CDC A-sap.

The front of the building was just a hundred feet away when Jessi thought she saw that the doors had metal coverings over the doors. As they got closer she saw they were indeed down.

Rick tried opening the door with the keypad and Shane tried to open it with the resistance from his back and the doors would not budge.

Jessi turned around and started to watch for any signs of movement she heard someone bang on the doors and T-Dog say, "No one's here."

"They why are these shutters down?" Her brother asked T-Dog thinking someone had to close them.

Jessi saw a walker coming towards them he was dressed in his army uniform and Daryl saw what she was staring at "Walker" he shouted and quickly took the walker down with his crossbow. Everyone loaded their guns at the sight of that walker and Jessi thought it was stupid that they did not do it before hand.

Jessi saw Daryl start marching towards Rick to yell at him and Jessi followed him to stop him.

"He made a call," Dale told them

"It was a wrong damn call," Daryl shouted at Rick

"Shut up, Shut up. You hear me Shut up," Shane said coming over and pushing Daryl back. "Shut up," he yelled again at Daryl and she could see Daryl's vein in his neck stick out even though it was dark.

"Daryl stop," Jessi said quietly not wanting Daryl to tear off both Rick's and Shane's faces. He stopped and looked at her and shook his head thinking that girl's brother is going to get us all killed.

"Rick this is a dead end." Shane said going over to his friend trying to get him to leave.

"Where are we going to go?" Carol begged holding Sophia with all her might.

"Do you hear me no luck." Shane said.

"She's right we can't be this close to the city after dark," Lori sort of talked and screamed at the same time not wanting to attract attention to the living human meat group as she held her son.

"Fort Benning, Rick is still an option," Shane shouted at his friend.

"On what no food no fuel it is a hundred miles." Andrea approached Shane.

"A hundred and twenty five I searched the map." Glenn said adding some useful information and he looked awkward with a shot gun in his hands.

Everyone heard a walker groan and started looking around to see where that came from.

"Forget Fort Benning we need answers tonight. Now." Lori screamed at her husband.

"We will think of something," Rick said calmly trying to get the group to calm down.

The whole group minus Rick started to retreat to their cars and wanted to get the hell out of there.

"The camera it moved," Rick shouted after seeing it move from down at their feet to up at their faces and the group stopped moving towards the cars.

"You imagined it," Dale reassured him thinking it was something as a last resort and he is just seeing things.

"It moved It moved," Rick said running towards the door.

"Its dead. Man it's an automated device man it is just winding down." Shane said approaching Rick sounding desperate that every minute that they stayed there was going to going to get them killed.

"Rick," Jessi said not believing her brother looking at the sights around them that somebody was inside.

"It's dead," Shane said trying to drag him away from the door.

"I know you are there, I know you can hear me. Please, we're desperate. Please, we have woman and children. No food hardly any gas left." Jessi and Lori ran up to try to pull him away

"Lori go back," she said knowing she will get her brother away just get Carl out of here.

Shane came over and pushed Lori away and grabbed Rick and started pulling him away from the doors while he kept saying over and over again, "If you don't let us in your killing us. Your killing us! Your killing us!" Rick kept screaming and all the sudden a blinding light came out as one of the doors began to open like it was being sent down from heaven itself and everyone stood their frozen for a second wondering what the fuck just happened.

_**Thanks for reading and hope everyone is looking forward to the new episodes -Morti**_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The whole group made their way into the building and the building air conditioning hit them like a ton of bricks. They made their way in slowly and closed the doors behind them immediately not wanting walkers to follow them inside. Jessi heard her brother say hello hello over again while Dale told them all to watch for walkers.

Everyone was looking around the entrance seeing and taking everything in and checking for signs of walkers "Hello," Rick said again and a sound of a gun being cocked told them they were not alone.

Everyone that had guns raised them at a man in a tee shirt, sweat pants, and flip flops with socks on holding a machine gun at them.

Jessi walked right in front of Carl shielding him if this guy was crazy and started firing at them all. He shouted, "Is anyone infected?"

"One of our group was, he didn't make it." Rick stated and lowered his weapon while his sister behind him didn't.

"Why you here? What do you want?" the man with a machine gun asked.

Jessi's brother said, "A chance,"

"That's asking an awful lot these days." The man said stepping closer.

"I know," Rick said not expecting a stranger to help them out.

The man looked around at the group and everyone was praying that this guy would not make them leave.

"You will all submit to a blood test that is the price of admission." The man said with blond hair.

"We can do that," Rick said and finally the man put down his weapon and Jessi put down her's and clicked the safety on.

"You got stuff to bring in you do it now. Once this door closes it stays close." The man said.

Rick, Daryl, Shane, Glenn went out quickly bringing back a few choice bags that people wanted and Rick brought Jessi's medical bag back with him. When they returned, "Vi seal the main entrance, kill the power up here." The man said and the shutters came over the doors again.

Jessi watched her brother introduce himself to the man who was Doctor Edwin Jenner. Jenner then introduced himself to the rest of the group and led them to the elevators. Jessi thought his name sounded familiar but could not place it.

He called one and it took a few minutes for one to come up. No one dared to talk but Jessi got her nephew and Sophia to smile a little by crossing her eyes at them. Jenner noticed that and it made him smile thinking about how his wife use to do stuff like that.

Everyone piled into the elevator and Jessi saw Carol look up at the weight limit and she did wonder how far they were away from the weight limit. It was just as quiet in the elevator as in the hallway well until Daryl said sarcastically, "Doctors always go around packing heat like that." 'Thanks Daryl for you his attitude, crossbow, and shirts with no sleeves.'

"While there were plenty left lying around I familiarized myself. Well, you look harmless enough- except you. I'll have to keep my eye on you." The last part he looked straight at Carl which got him to smile devilishly and that made Jessi like the man a little more.

When they finally reached the bottom of the elevator shaft and got off at their floor Jenner led the way down a long hallway with electricity powering the lights. Jessi was in awe to say the least and so was everybody else. She turned around her head around and saw that Daryl was a few steps distant from the group as usual.

"Are we underground?" Carol asked.

"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked her.

"A little,"

"Try not to think about it," Jenner said but the look on her face said yeah right.

They kept walking down the hallway until they got to a big room with about 50 computer desk in it, "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room." Jenner said and the lights turned on brightly. "Welcome to Zone 5," Jenner said.

"Where is all the doctors? The staff?" Rick asked him not seeing anybody in the room.

"I'm it. It is just me here."

"What about the person you were speaking with? Vi?" Lori asked which were true logical questions.

"Vi, say hello to our guests tell them 'welcome,'" Jenner said.

A voice obviously female and electronic said over loud speakers, "Hello guests, Welcome."

"I'm all that is left." Seeing the group's disappointment he then said, "Sorry,"

Leading them past a clock that said 16:21:05 they walked to a room that looked a lot like it was used for teaching before the walkers. Dr. Jenner got all the supplies that are need to do blood work on this many people. "Who's first?" he asked and Rick stepped up first.

Sophia came up to Jessi and asked, "Jessi, what is he testing for?"

"He is just checking our blood." She said. "Depending on the tests that he does he could find that you and your mom are biological related like how Carl, Rick, and I are or we're blood relatives, your blood type, electrolyte balance, how well your kidney are working, and plenty more things. It is definitely a marvelous extra-cellular matrix." By the looks on Sophia's, Carl's, and Daryl's faces she realized that she had lost them totally and should just shut up.

As soon as Rick was done Daryl went and he stared at the doctor hating him that he was inside all this time and had all the luxuries of electricity, probably good food, other things, and air conditioning. Now Daryl was use to having no air conditioning hell, he grew up in a house that did not have it and spent every free moment he ever had outside in the Georgian heat but he had seen many people faint or get sick from the heat these last few months because they were not use to it. 'City people,' he thought as he stared at the doctor then at the needle and the tube that was holding his blood.

After Daryl went, Shane went followed by Dale, Glenn, Carol, Sophia, Lori, Carl and then Jessi stepped up and sat in the chair. He tied the tourniquet around her left arm and stuck the needle in slowly and she watched making sure he did it right. "I heard what you said to the children are you a doctor?" he asked.

"No, I was a nurse before all this started. I'm Jessi." She said watching the blood flow into the tube.

"Edwin Jenner, it will be nice to have someone who has actual medical training around here." Jenner said which got her to smile a little.

As soon as Jessi was done she stood up and Jacqui and Andrea were next to have their blood drawn. Jacqui sat down and gave her tube of blood then followed by Andrea.

After Jenner had inserted the needle into Andrea's arm and the tube was half way full she asked, "What's the point? If we were already infected we would be running a fever."

"I have already broken every rule in the book letting you in here at least let me be thorough. All done," he said putting the tube in the tray.

Andrea slowly got up and when she did everyone could tell that she was light headed. "You okay?" Jenner asked.

"She has not eaten for days none of us have." Jacqui said.

With that Jenner led them all to the cafeteria to fix that. T-Dog and Carol started immediately fixing some type of spaghetti while everybody was watching them with hawk eyes and trying to get them to give them samples of the food. Jenner brought out a few bottles of wine and one was popped open and glasses soon appeared. Rather than getting drunk and trying to munch on the food and not over being overcome by the smell of cooking food Jessi grabbed her bag and went exploring.

* * *

><p>She told Carl that she was going exploring and walked down the corridor to a bunch of closed doors. "What's behind door number one?" she asked herself loudly and opened the door. She half expected to see fire or a ghost to shoot out 'I have seen way to many movies' she said going in and turning on the light. She looked at the closet of cleaning supplies and grabbed a roll of toilet paper from the shelf and stuffing that into her backpack for it now was basically empty and she wanted to be prepared.<p>

In the next room she found deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and she replaced the ones in her bag with the fresh ones that were to be used if they ever had to leave here. She then walked into a room that was actually an office. She walked over to the desk and set down her bag wondering if there was anything of value in the desk. She opened the first drawer and found a bottle of aspirin. In the next drawer she found a bottle of Southern Comfort and in the last she found a box with two condoms in it. 'Someone had extracurricular activities going on in this place'. She put those in her pocket and she would definitely _show_ them to Daryl later.

Going to the next room she opened it and there was a whole bunch of weapons covering the tables and there was a ton of ammo she had hit the mother load. There were plenty of machine guns, shot guns, and hand guns. She did not want to take the machine guns because she thought they would do no good for her unless she was trapped and she had the higher ground so she could get the best view of theirs heads and go old school and go back and forth with the gun. She found a smaller Glock that she could easily hide under her clothing and took that with a few boxer of ammo. She made sure it was unloaded before putting that into her bag wanting to hide it from the group and did not want to tell anyone that she now had two guns. Something caught her eye on the edge of her table and she picked it up and realized it was a silencer and slammed that into her bag as well for that could easily be of use. She closed the door and made a mental note about telling Rick about this room later. She walked back to the cafeteria with the bottle of whiskey in her hand and by then the food was just about ready.

She went over to the set table and when she was going to sit down Glenn magically appeared and pulled out her chair for her. "What a gentleman," she said and thanked Glenn who had just lost a seat and was now going to sit on the counter along with Daryl. For there was not enough room at the small table and wondered why they just didn't push a few more tables together. She heard Daryl clear his throat out of jealously once and she sat down putting her bottle of whiskey on the table and her bag on the floor. T-Dog and Jacqui brought out the food and the mass of people moved away from the stove to the chairs immediately. Carl picked up his fork and knife and started pounding them a few times on the table.

Everyone passed their plates around in the circle and tried to wait patiently till everyone was served even though Jessi saw Carl and Sophia sneak a noodle each into their mouths. She didn't blame them for it was torture to watch the food being passed around and they were trying to let everyone be served before they dug in to their feast.

When everyone one was finally served everyone dug in and in haled their first plate and while they were doing this no one was talking and all you heard was the sound of forks hitting the plates and the sounds of a few smacking lips. Everyone looked up at the same time and they all looked at each other and everyone erupted in laughter. Obviously the food, wine, and whiskey shots were working.

When everyone was being served their next helping and going to get more drinks, Daryl stood up done with wine and went to get that bottle of whiskey that Jessi had brought back with her. He came up behind where she was sitting and leaned into her while he reached out for the bottle of the Southern Comfort. She immediately got uncomfortable because he was so close right now and what she had in her pocket. He told her and the rest of the group, "Ah can't let a little lady drink this stuff she probably can't even hold her alcohol." It made both Rick and Shane equally uncomfortable that the group's violent in nature red neck was that close to Jessi and they saw that her body language was uncomfortable.

Grabbing the bottle that he now claimed and he brought it back to his seat on the counter. "I can hold my alcohol Daryl, can you?" she said turning around to at him and challenging him.

"Definitely, had lots of practice." He said taking a drink of it.

She flashed him a quick smile before turning around in her seat. Soon more jokes were being made all around the table and there was an enormous amount of laughter going on from everyone.

Dale stood up to get more wine for Jessi and Lori, he poured Jessi's first realizing she was never going to get her whiskey back and gave it to her. He then grabbed Lori's from her and said, "You know n Italy, they let children have some wine with dinner and in France,"

"And when Carl is in Italy or France he can have some then," Lori said not letting the kids have some fun and covering up his glass with his hand.

"Come on what is it going to hurt, come on," Rick said trying to keep his food in his mouth.

Lori then agreed and Dale poured about an inch of it in his glass and handed it to the eager kid that had always wanted to try wine before but nobody would let him until now at least. He grabbed it and everyone got quiet as he had his first drink of alcohol. Rick chuckled to himself waiting for his sons face and then, "Ewww," he said making a bunch of weird but funny faces which caused everyone to laugh again remembering their first time drinking.

"That's my boy, that's my boy," Lori said dumping his wine into her glass.

"It taste nasty," Carl said and Jessi grabbed her wine and took a drink trying to cover up that she was laughing at her nephew.

"You just stick to soda pop there bud," Shane said with his hands folded with Daryl walking around him with his trusty bottle of whiskey remembering when Merle let him first try it.

"Not you Glenn," Daryl said.

"What?" Glenn said looking at the label of the wine bottle and looking up with a huge smile on his face.

"Keep drinking little man I want to see how red your face can get," Daryl said giving him a challenge that he didn't think Glenn would refuse and more laughter erupted.

The sound of taping on a glass silenced the group and Rick stood up saying, "Seems to me we have not thanked our host, properly"

"He is more than just our host," T-Dog said raising his glass.

"Cheers," Dale said and everyone grabbed their glassed ready to clink them.

"Boo-yah," Daryl said loudly and a chorus of Boo-yah's thanked Jenner who everyone mostly forgotten was sitting there.

"So when are you going to tell us what the hell happened here Doc?" Shane asked nonchalantly which damped everyone's mood quickly. "All the other doctors who were suppose to be figuring out what happened, where are they?"

"We're celebrating, Shane," Rick said. "Don't need to do this now."

"Well wait a second, that is why we are here, right? This was your move suppose to find all the answers instead we found him." He said pointing to Jenner laughing at him a little. "We found one man why?"

"Well when things got bad a lot of people just left went off to be with their families and then when the military cordon got over run the rust bolted."

"Every last one?' Shane asked him happy to get his answer.

"No, many couldn't face walking out the door. They- opted out. There was a rash of suicides- that was a bad time."

"You didn't leave, Why?" Andrea asked.

"I just kept working, hoping to do some good."

"Dude you are such a buzz kill," Glenn said and he was so right to say that.

* * *

><p>In another twenty minutes everyone was finished up and cleaned up quickly and Jenner led them away from the cafeteria down some long hallway. Jenner was explaining that, "Most of the facility is powered down including housing so you are going to have to make do here," with both Sophia and Carl following along at his heels. "Couches are comfortable but there are cots in storage if you like." "There is a rec room down the hall that you kids might enjoy, just don't plug in the video games or anything that draws power." He said leaning down to the kids following him and then told everyone else, "Same applies if you shower go easy on the hot water." Jenner said before disappearing into his room.<p>

"Hot water," Glenn said in a daze

"That's what the man said," T-Dog answered with a smile and everyone started going which way to find their rooms.

Jessi felt someone touch her shoulder and then she felt Daryl's warm lips whisper into her ear and told her in his dreamy voice, "Mah room," before walking away claiming his room down the hallway promptly.

Jessi quickly grabbed the last free room and put down her stuff and went to find Carl to tell him he could shower in her room if he wanted too. When she found Rick's room and proposed the option to Carl, Rick said go ahead wanting some alone time with Lori.

She led him to her room and they did rock-paper-scissors shoot to figure out who was going first. The kid won two out of three times so he went to take his shower first. Jessi swore that when the water started she heard the biggest "aw" come out of the bathroom made by her nephew.

When he was finally finished and dressed he came out of the shower wanting to show her that he had found a hair in the armpit region. "Hah, you are becoming a man. Hey how did you like your first wine?" She asked him and saw the discussed face of him recalling the taste of it.

"That was absolutely discussing. Yuck, I can't get that taste out of my mouth." He said while grimacing. "I'm going to find Sophia and go see this rec room come with us."

"I'll see how tired I am after my shower," Jessi said walking the kid outside into the hallway and closing her door behind him letting him think that she was going to take a shower. She waited a few minutes for her nephew, Carol, and Sophia to exit the hallway before going out to go see Daryl.

She knocked on his door twice and said, "Daryl, it's me,"

_**Thanks for reading and please review and tell me what you think of it. i would love to hear from you. Happy Walking Dead Day- Morti **_


	22. Chapter 22

**Hi people all around the world, thanks for your patience. i have not updated in so long because i was sick, SATs, homework, projects, and because my computer broke. I hope you all enjoyed the season finale as much as i did and agree with me that October seems so long away. Also, i thank the people that review and put me on alerts that means a lot to me and at last enjoy chapter 22- Morti**

Chapter 22

Jessi knocked on the door again thinking maybe he could not hear her or maybe he fell asleep already. She was ready to turn around and go see this rec room when an arm shot out of the room grabbing her and pulling her inside to him.

His mouth attacked hers again and he kicked the door closed behind them. "Daryl," she somehow managed to say while he was kissing her, tasting the whiskey on his lips and breath.

"Hum," he said continuing to kiss her and letting his hands roam her body. He pushed her backpack off her shoulders- 'does she really take that thing everywhere.' He stopped kissing her and leaned his forehead against hers. He looked her in the eyes and she saw the anger that was usually constantly there were calm now for a change but maybe that was the help of the whiskey, an idea of safety, good food, and her. He wrapped his left arm around her back and she could feel all the muscles in his arm press through her thin shirt into her back. Daryl let his right hand clinch her chin and put a small kiss on the corner of her mouth.

She whined slightly because he did not kiss her on the mouth and put her mouth on his. She let her tongue run along his bottom lip and caused him to moan. "You taste like whiskey," she said still in his arms happy to be there.

"Ah should, ah drank while waiting for yah." He said while tracing her lips with his pointer finger. He let his hands drop to where he wanted them to go while he buried his face in her neck and started to kiss that sensitive spot.

His whiskers tickled her causing her to giggle. And Daryl figured now was a perfect time and Daryl, in one smooth motion, picked her up and carried her, bridal style, over to the couch. "Daryl," she whispered cautiously as he carried her to the couch not wanting him to drop her.

"Don't worry about it," he said thinking that she meant don't go too far and he dropped her on the couch with a 'thunk'. He leaned over her and took her gun and holster off her belt, found the extra clip, and put it next to a bottle of whiskey.

"Now both of yours," she said and he took out both of his guns out of his pants and put it next to hers. "Don't forget about your knife," and he added his knife to the pile of weaponry.

Jessi finally got a chance to look around the room and saw for the first time that all the lights were off and the light that was being provided right now were candles scattered around the room and there was also a bed in the middle of the floor with a few pillows and a blanket. "Candles?" she asked him.

"Yeah, don't women like that kind of shit?"

"I think its sweet." She said while sitting up and the wrappers in her pocket hitting her thigh and he sat down next to her. "I have something for you-us" she said sliding her hands into her pocket.

She brought out them slowly not knowing how he was going to react and he stared at her hand attentively. Opening up her palm, she revealed two silver condom packets.

"Where did yah find some?"

"In a desk. So, do you want to?" she asked looking up at his face.

"Yes," he said after a few seconds. "I need to say something first."

She looked at him and wondered what he was going to say 'please don't have an STD or something like that'.

"I had never done it before, sex" he admitted to her.

"What!" she asked him in a high pitched voiced because she was surprised of his response because of how he had acted around her for longest of time and wanted to think that he was pulling her leg or something like that so she tried not to laugh.

"Am a virgin," he said grabbing the condoms out of her hand, "I don't know how to use these."

"You should have mentioned that when we talked about having sex, I just assumed you weren't. We can work around that quickly." She said realizing he was not lying to her or pulling her leg and she smiled at him and nodded going to fix that wrong quickly.

Daryl would tell her why he was a virgin if she asked. He would tell her that it was because of the scars on his body. That every female in his hometown had been warned away from the Dixon family. He had seen the way that Merle talked to women, how his father acted towards them, and would never do that to anyone of the fairer sex and he was not going to pay for something like that.

Daryl pushed back a hair on her face that had been blown out of place by the force of the air conditioning grabbing her chin, he pulled her closer to him. Slowly he pushed her back down underneath him on the couch and gradually they started peeling their clothes off.

* * *

><p>Jessi watched Daryl's chest rise and fall for a few seconds gradually it slowed down while she rested her head on a pillow. Somehow they had made it to the bed how they actually did she could not remember but that wasn't that important. She smiled softly at him and moved to rest her head on his left shoulder.<p>

"That was good," she said moving her hand slowly over his chest lightly touching a few of his deeper scars on his chest.

Daryl whole body suddenly jerked forward. Nostrils flaring. Breathing hard, Grabbing her hand by the wrist and squeezing tightly, surprising her. She had just fingered the one that his father caused when he asked for a bike.

They locked eyes for a few seconds but it felt more like hours and she whispered, "I'm sorry," to him. Daryl slowly let go of her hand and she muttered, "I'm sorry," again. "I'm not going to hurt you." She learned forward, slowly kissing the spot she just touched, the one that had just set him off and she coaxed him into lying back down on his back.

She slowly started to kiss his other scars that were just on his chest as if to try to take some of the pain away while Daryl watched her doing this. He remembered when his father had whipped with his belt when he stole a pack of cigarettes from him, giving one for each one in the box. He remembered nights when he did not even come home because of his drunken father would beat him silly, or would just do it for no reason for fun and entertainments and how Merle gave him a few of his scars trying to toughen him up and be a man, more important a Dixon. 'It would take her the whole day if she kisses every single one of my scars.'

Daryl brought his hand to the small of her back and told her to stop while adding a kiss to top of her forehead. "So you're allowed to kiss me like that but I'm not?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he said kissing her forehead again to prove his point, annoying her and he smiled then chuckled before sitting up.

Jessi quickly allowed him to sit up and leave the bed wondering where he was going for as soon as he got out of bed he had pulled the tangled sheet around him and walked away. She touched the hickey that Daryl had given her on the back side of the neck near her hair line ,happy he did not do it on the front since she could hide it with a sweatshirt or her hair.

She figured now was a good time to figure out where Daryl had dropped all her clothing for she needed to go talk to Jenner about the blood work he done on all of them. As she was pulling her cami down over her stomach Daryl came up behind quietly, and kissing her shoulder a few times causing her to jump a little.

"Have something for you." He said turning her around and he grabbing her right pam with his left hand pulling it up and turning it over so it formed a cup. With his rough, calloused, closed fisted holding something he opened it slightly to press it into her soft hand. That was the closest he had come to holding some ones hand before and moved it away slowly so she could look at what he had just given her.

"You don't have to give me anything," she said but looked down at her palm anyway while Daryl was biting his thumb nail.

She saw a beautiful, solid gold, little heart about the size of a nickel with the word: Dixon written on the front in cursive on it attached to a gold necklace.

"I want you to wear it for me," he said picking it up gently. "It was my mother's." She nodded and pulled her hair to the side so putting it on would be a lot easier and turned around. Daryl slowly put it on her giving her a kiss on the back of the neck. That necklace had been in his family for almost a hundred and fifty years. His great, great, great grandfather had bought that necklace for his great, great, great, grandmother and it was passed down through the years to his mother. "My ma wanted either my brother or I to give it to someone special," he mumbled the last part as he finally got the loop through the clasp closed, curse his big fingers.

"It's beautiful, it would be my honor to wear it" she said turning around so he could see her wear it.

"Merle," he said softly thinking about his missing brother who had cut off his hand to get off the top of that room and was now somewhere else.

"I don't think this world wants siblings together anymore. Look at the two sisters and me and Merle,"

"Morales's children are still together and I found my brother,"

"All I'm saying is that you give a damn about me, I'll give a damn about you. I don't share well with things alive or dead." He said grabbing her chin and kissing her.

One was standing there in a cami and underwear while the other was just wrapped in a sheet and they were making out. "Daryl stop," she said suddenly pulling away.

"What?" he asked.

"I don't want to use that other condom tonight we might want to save it for another time." Taking the unused one off the table, she gave it to him saying "you can decide when we use it but I need to go check the blood real quick." She bent down, grabbed her pair of pants, and pulled them on followed by her shoes, and pulling her back in a ponytail to the side to cover the hickey that Daryl had given her.. Picking up her backpack, the can of beer from two nights ago the one she planned on giving to Merle hit her at the right angle in her back for her to remember it was there. "Hey, Daryl," she said after taking the can out and she handed it to him.

"More alcohol you know how to treat a man."

"I will be back in about twenty minutes don't drink all of the whiskey while I'm gone," she said walking out the door.

* * *

><p>Walking down the hallway to the flight of stairs that connected the rooms they were sleeping in with the computer lab she heard the sound of grunts of a drunken man coming up the stairs. As she rounded the corner she saw that the drunk man was her brother trying to climb the stairs. She walked down the stairs to about half way down to where her brother was.<p>

"Is someone having a dialogue with gravity?" she asked as her brother again tried to climb another stair but he stepped up but then went back down.

"Come on brother, let me give you a hand," she said putting his left arm over her shoulder and pulled her up each stair to the top reminding her of the rehearsal dinner for Rick and Lori's wedding. She had found him drunk and had to drive him back to his apartment and then stayed there when he was getting over the hangover before the big day.

"We are going tooo be fine, here, we havee a fresh start, a new chance. I have my son, my sister, my wife, and my best friend with me I'm lucky most of the people that I care about are alive. Shane took care of you three and made sure you all stayed alive. I wish you could have someone that you care about like how I have Lori," he said and took another drink out of his wine bottle and she bite her lip wanting to tell him about how Shane took care of Lori and how she was with Daryl. If her brother looked closely at her neckline he would see the necklace that said Dixon on it forgetting to cover that up.

"Rick," she said getting him up the final step making her choice to tell her brother about Lori and Shane. He would remember it tomorrow but he would think that his conscious had told him not her.

"Yeppers sis," he said.

"Lori and Shane were in a relationship, they were having sex," she said pulling him down the hallway.

"HAAAh, that's a good one Jessi, very funny," he said laughing. "I can get to my room from here," he said and started walking away continuing to drink his bottle but now at a slower pace and he limped to his door.

'Well, I told him it is out of my hands for now,' she thought and walked back down the hallway, down the stairs, to the computer lab which she saw Jenner hard at work on. "Hey, Dr. Jenner, how's the blood?"

"Your brother asked me the exact same question and it has no surprises."

"Can I see the results?"

"Yeah sure," he said handing over a clip board with all the results.

She looked at the results, checking that everything was right for each age and that everyone was getting the proper nutrients.

"Dr. Jenner, when did this epidemic start and when did it become a pandemic?

"You know the difference between those words, good. It will be 196 days since it started tomorrow and 65 days since it went global."

She bowed her head and closed her eyes thinking about her family and friends. "Do you know anything about New York City?" she asked him thinking of all her friends she left behind there.

"It became a refugee center just like Atlanta, it fell a long time ago just like Atlanta, I'm sorry," he said seeing how it affected her causing her to cry.

He passed over a tissue to her and she blew her nose for she had realized and now finally accepted that almost all the people that she loved and cared about were dead and gone.

"Almost seven billion people in the world, that is a lot of walkers," she said remembering a statistic that she had seen about the world population and walked away.

"Yeah that is," Jenner said and Jessi heard him.

* * *

><p>Jessi walked back to Daryl's room and let herself in. Daryl was passed out on the bed with the bottle of whiskey in his hand and somehow had not moved enough to spill any of it on the bed, his boxers, or shirt. Grabbing it out of his hand, she took a huge gulp of it before putting it on the table with their weapons, slipping out of her jeans, shoes, and back pack, turned off the light slowly, and climbed into bed next to Daryl. She wanted to snug with him a little after the news she got from Jenner but did not for she did not have the energy to roll over and grab Daryl and fell asleep to the sound of snoring.<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Waking up to the feeling of being chilled by the air conditioner was such a wonderful feeling. At first, she thought that she was back at her old apartment. That changed when she did not see the outline of her furniture and felt a warm, strong, heavy arm pulling her closer to a warm body. She quickly pushed herself out of the arms of a man and sat up.

"Something ah matter?" he mumbled softly to her.

Then it hit her as she remembered last night they had made it to the CDC, Daryl and her together, and falling asleep to the Dixon's snoring. "No, go back to sleep," she responded to him. He quickly stretched himself against the bed, yawning grabbing his pillow and said, "You should too."

Looking around she saw a clock and it red numbers read 7:58 AM. "No, I'm going to go take a hot shower and then leave and find breakfast."

Getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom she used her bare feet to find her book bag that held clean clothing. She found it by stubbing her toe on a dresser and nearly tripping over it. The feeling of pain raced through her body, she wanted to start swearing at the top of her lungs but held it in on the account Daryl was sleeping.

Finally, she found he bathroom by the fact the carpet suddenly changed into cold tile, and closed the door before turning on the light. 'Thank you for electricity," she thought as the sudden light stung her eyes and it took them a minute to adjust to the sudden light. She got undressed and stepped into the shower. Turing on the shower, she squeaked as the cold water in the pipes hit her body causing goose bumps but those quickly disappeared as the hot water began to arrive. Relaxing in the hot water, she washed herself and her hair.

She touched her neck and found Daryl's mother's necklace and found the hickey he had given her last night.

She never wanted to get out of the shower after not having taken one in a very long time. Hearing the bathroom door open with a squeak, "Jess," Daryl said.

"Hey, morning could you hand me a towel? I forgot to grab one before I got in."

"Come out and get one from me. It is not like I never saw you naked before."

"You only saw it for the first time last night."

"First time, love the sound of that. Gives me hope for the future." "Come out and get it," he said and she could almost see him snickering at her and with a cocky grim on his face.

"Fine," she said pushing the shower's door open. He held up a blue towel for her and she stepped into it. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her in for a morning kiss.

After a kiss, she made him get a shower next and she got dressed.

"Daryl, I'll be down eating breakfast," she said making sure either her hair or shirt was covering the hickey or the necklace and grabbed her bag, weapon, and walked out the door.

Walking down to the cafeteria, she found T-Dog making scrambled eggs and bacon. "Morning Jessi," he said and she went over and got a plateful of the hot food.

"Good morning, T-Dog,"

"You seem different," he said.

"A good night's sleep does wonders and so does a hot shower."

"I hear you,"

"Thanks, I got dish duty later," she said going over to sit at the table and eat with Sophia, Carol, Jacqui, and Dale. Andrea places a cup of orange juice in front of her.

Soon a few of the others filled in like Glenn, Lori, and Carl. The others had started eating though Glenn was pushing his food around with his for when Rick arrived.

"Morning," Rick said.

"Are you hung over? Mom said you would be." Carl said and Jessi, chuckled softly.

"Mom is right." He said giving his son a smile while sitting down.

"Mom has that annoying habit." Lori said and Jessi continued to look down at her food not wanting to give her sister in law a deathful glare.

"Eggs, powder, but I do them good, bet you can't tell." Walking over to Glenn he put a spoonful on Glenn's plate and said, "Protein, helps the hangover."

Glenn begins to groan.

"Where did all this come from?" Rick asks.

"Jenner." Lori and Jessi said together and Rick begins to have trouble opening a bottle of ibuprofen.

"Could you please help me," he asked his whore of a wife.

"Don't ever ever let me drink again," Glenn says with Jacqui trying to comfort him.

"Hey T-Dog last night, I think I saw a bottle of coconut water bring that over for the new bee." Jessi said knowing the electrolytes would help her brother and Glenn.

"Hey," Rick says as Shane walks in and goes straight for the coffee with a response of the same word.

"Feel as bad as I do?"

"Worse,"

T Dog noticing Shane's face says, "What the hell happened to you? Your neck?" and Jessi looks up and sees there are scratch marks on his neck that look female.

"Must have done it in my sleep," he says sitting down.

"Never seen you do that before," Rick says.

"Me neither. Not like me at all," Shane says and Jessi sees him glance at Lori.

Jenner arrives and he says morning and the others give him a greeting.

"Doctor, I don't mean to slam you with question first thing." Dale says.

"But you will any ways,

"We did not come here for the eggs," Andrea says.

"It will be easier if I just show you once everyone finishes their breakfast." Jenner says as he sees the last of their group, Daryl, walk in and he takes the spot next to Jessi.

Twenty long minutes pass as they all finish up and begin walking to the computer room with the huge screen and the clock on the side reads and hour and eight minutes counting down..

Jenner goes over to one computer, putting in a password and states to Vi, "Give me a play back of TS-19."

The computer animated voice of Vi says, "Play back of TS 19," as everyone comes in and Jessi moves to a spot away from Daryl and stands next to Sophia while the others get comfortable to begin and watch the video screen.

"Few people ever got a chance to see this," Jenner says as the screen brings up images of a brain. "Very few,"

As the screen begins to add the layers on the persons face and Carl asks, "Is that a brain?"

"An extraordinary one," "Not that it matters in the end. That is in through the IV."

"Enhanced internal view," the computer says again and takes us into the head to the brain, by turning and zooming in through the data that was collected from an MRI scan.

Jessi wished that her college had this technology when she was studying the brain and started looking at the synapses.

"What are those lights?" Shane asked.

"Synapses," Jessi said.

"It is a person's life, experiences, memories. Its everything. Somewhere in those all organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you. The thing that makes you, unique and human."

"You don't make sense ever," Daryl says

"Those are synapses like Jessi said. Electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says, does, or thinks from the moment of birth to the moment of death."

"Death? That what this is? A visual?" Rick asks Jenner getting closer to the Doctor.

"Yes, or rather a playback of one."

"This person died? Who?" Andrea asked.

"Test subject 19, someone who was bitten, infected, and volunteered to have record the process. Vi take us forward to the first event."

The computer does what he says and Jessi sees something invade the brain like meningitis from the brain stem and out allowing the black to replace the blue on the screen.

"What is that?" Glenn asks.

"It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage and the brain goes into shut down. Then the major organs." The person begins tossing and turning obviously in a lot of pain and the whole brain goes black and the screen reads subject deceased. "Then death, everything you were or everything you will be, gone," he says sullen.

"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia asks her mom and Carol says, "Yes,"

Jacqui, Carol, and Andrea try to breath as the news hits them, with Andrea being the most distraught. "She lost someone two days ago. Her sister," Lori says.

Jenner going over to consul Andrea says, "I lost someone too, I know how devastating it is."

"Scan to the second event."

"The resurrection times vary widely. We have reports of it happening in as little as three minutes, the longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute seven seconds."

A sudden red spark emerges much like a flame on the brain stem and restarts it like an ember.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asked.

"No, just the brain stem, basically it gets them up and moving."

"But they are not alive?" Rick asks Jenner.

"You tell me,"

"Its nothing like before. Most of that brain is..

"Dark, lifeless, dead," Jenner finished Ricks statement. "The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part does not come back, the you part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct." As the human now a walker starts reanimating, twitching, and something comes new comes into frame, passes through the brain, allowing to be it in two parts and some people realize that the patient was just shot.

"What was that?" Carol asked not understanding what just happened and why it stopped suddenly.

"He shot his patient in the head. Didn't you?" Andrea asked.

"Vi, power down the main screen and the work stations," everyone you looks to him trying to sink in all the information that he just gave them and Jessi looked to him as he had confirmed some of her hypothesizes.

"You have no idea what it is do you?" Andrea asked.

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal.."

"Or the wraith of God," Jacqui stated.

"There is that."

"Somebody must know something, somebody, somewhere." Andrea keeps asking Jenner.

"There are others, other facilities?" Carol asked the good doctor.

"There might be, people like me."

"You don't know, how can you not know?" Rick asked.

"Everything went down, communication, directives, all of it. I've been in the dark for almost a month."

"So it is not just here, it is everywhere?" Andrea says but asks at the same time. "There's nothing left anywhere? Nothing, that is what you are really saying, right?

He doesn't answer and everyone again tries to accept what they knew in their heart or their back of their mind that the world has come to an end, "I'm going to get shit faced drunk again." Daryl says.

"Mind if I join you?" Jessi asks Daryl going over to her boyfriend.

"Dr. Jenner, I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask one more question but, that clock is counting down. What happens when it hits zero?" as the clock is now under an hour.

"The basement generators run out of fuel." He says rushed and goes away.

"And then?" Rick asks Jenner but Jenner just walks away so her brother asks, "Vi, what happens when the power runs out?"

"When power runs out, facility wide decontamination will occur." The computer voice says.

Rick, Shane, T-Dog, and Glenn not having a good enough answer begin their trip down to the basement to see what he meant and the others started to go back to their rooms while Jessi went to the gun and ammo room she found last night and to refill her water bottle and grab some granola bars.

She grabbed four more boxes of 9mm ammo knowing that this decontamination did not sound like a good thing and they needed to get out of there soon. She put the last box into her bag and grabbed another Glock 17 clip when the lights in the room went out. Putting her bag on her arm, she went to find Rick and Daryl to tell them they needed to leave right now.

She quickly runs to the hallway where the others, Daryl, Dale, Jacqui, Carol, Sophia, Lori, and Carol who are asking questions on why the lights and air are being turned off. Jenner grabs the bottle of whiskey out of Daryl's hand.

"It's not up to me," Jenner says and continues to walk. "Zone five is shutting itself down.

"Hey! Hey what the hell does that mean?" Daryl asks angry and Jessi comes to his side and walks quicker to catch up to him as he says to Jenner, "I'm talking to you. What do you mean it is shutting itself down. How can a building do anything?"

"You will be surprised," Jenner says and the others come up from the basement as Rick goes to question Jenner. "Rick, we need to get out of here," but her brother waves her off.

"It was designed to keep the computers running till the last possible second, it starts as we approach the half hour mark. Right on schedule," he says seeing the clock say 31:28." He takes a drink and then gives the bottle back over to Daryl.

"It was the French." Jenner says to Andrea.

"What?"

"They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know. Well our people were bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the hallways, they stayed in their labs to the end. They thought they were close to a solution," and he begins to climb the steps.

"What happened?" Jacqui asked.

"The same thing that is happening here, no power grid. Ran out of juice, the world runs on fossil fuel, how stupid is that?" Jenner says going over to his computer with Shane hot on his heals.

"Let me tell you something."

"To hell with Shane, I don't even care. Lori, grab our things. Everybody get your stuff, we are getting out of here, Now!"

Everyone begins to run backwards as a alarm sounds and red lights start flashing.

"What's that?" a sea of that question was asked.

"30 minutes to decontamination," Vi says as a huge countdown clock comes up on the big screen and begins to count down.

Jenner rushes to his computer and pushes something.

"You all heard Rick, get your stuff we are getting out of here." Shane says

As soon as Shane says the door to the outside world closes with a big metal door rises from the floor and seals them all with the made scientist.

"Did you just lock us in? He just locked us in!" Glenn shouts.

Jenner goes over to his computer and the others rush to be together and Daryl rushes to Jenner. "YOU SON OF A BITCH,"

"Shane," Rick yells seeing Daryl rush to hurt the one person that free them.

"YOU JUST LOCKED US IN!" and Shane gets there just in time to stop Daryl from smashing the bottle over the doctor's head and pulls him away with T-Dog joining Shane to push him further away.

"Jenner open that door now," Rick commands him.

"There is no point, everything top side is locked down. The emergency exists are sealed."

"While open the damn things," Dale says for he has done that before.

"That's not something I control, the computers do. I told you, once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that. Its better this way."

"What is? What happens in twenty eight minutes?" Rick asks him.

Shane smacks the back of the doctors head as Rick asked again what happens in twenty eight minutes getting a response from the now angry doctor rising from his chair. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS PLACE IS? WE HAVE PROTECTED THE PUBLIC FROM VERY NASTY STUFF. WEAPONIZED SMALL POX, EBOLYA STRAINS THAT CAN WIPE OUT HALF THE COUNTRY." He screams in each of the groups faces. "STUFF YOU DON'T WANT GETTING OUR, EVER." He regains his composure and sits down, "In an event of catastrophic power failure, a terrorist attack for example, H.I. T's are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out."

"H. ?" Rick asks.

"Vi define." Jenner says and the computer defines it, "H. - high-impulse thermobaric fuel-air explosive consists of a two-stage aerosol ignition which produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive except nuclear. The vacuum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen between 5,000 and 6,000 degrees and is used when the greatest loss of life and damage to structures is desired."

"It sets the air on fire. No pain. An end to sorrow, grief, regret. Everything." Jenner says.

Everyone stares down at the doctor in disbelief and the families hug each other and Jessi after hugging Carl sits down and watches as Daryl throws the bottle of whiskey at the door. It shatters and he turns around and screams at Jenner, "OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"

"OUT OF MY WAY," Shane shouts running with a emergency axe and starts hitting the door with all his strength making sparks at the impact. Daryl given one by Glenn soon joins him in hitting the door.

"You should of left all of this alone. It would have been so much easier." Jenner says.

"Easier for who?" Lori asks.

"You know what is out there. A short brutal life and a agonizing death. Your sister- what was her name?"

"Amy," Andrea says.

"You know what this does, you have seen it. Jessi, you have probably worked on many patients and had them die on you and then you had to kill them before they hurt you or your family."

"Is that really what you want for your wife and son?" Jenner asks Rick and Jessi looks up to him.

"I don't want this,"

"We can't make a dent," Shane comes over exhausted.

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher."

"But your head aint," Daryl says coming over and begins to swing his axe around at the doctor's head only to have Rick, T-Dog, and Dale to restrain him and take away his axe.

"Daryl back up," Rick says and Jessi goes to Daryl's side as he begins to pace around the room to keep herself in between him and the doctor like what she did with Jim.

"You 'do' want this. Last night you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you love is dead." Jenner says and Rick glances at Jessi next to Daryl then Lori.

"What? You really said that? After all your big talk?" Shane asked his best friend.

"I had to keep hope alive, didn't I?" Rick says letting everyone in.

"There is no hope. There never was." Jenner says

"There is always hope. Maybe it won't be you, maybe not here. But somebody somewhere…"

"What part "of everything is gone" do you not understand?" Andrea asks.

"Listen to your friend. She gets it. This is what takes us down. This is our extinction event." Jenner says.

"This isn't right. You can't just keep us here." Carol says pulling Sophia closer to her while crying.

"One tiny moment- a millisecond. No pain."

"My daughter doesn't deserve to die." At this Carol pushes Sophia out of her lap to stand up and Shane walks away.

"Wouldn't it be kinder, to be more compassionate to just hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run down?"

At this Jessi grabbed Daryl's hand and looks at the clock and it is less than ten minutes almost nine until the building blows up.

The cock of a shotgun focusses the group's attention on Shane who has his trusty shot gun in his hand. Rick rushes to Shane to try to get the gun away from yet another idiot who is trying to kill the doctor. He thought with Shane's police training he would be more rational.

"Rick stay out of my way," as he pushes Rick out of his way and rushes to the Doctor.

Jessi squeezes Daryl's hand in hers knowing if the doctor is killed then they will not get out at all.

"You open that door or I'm going to blow your head off. Do you hear me?" Shane states and Rick tries to persuade his friend to stop as he place the end an inch of the side of Jenner's face.

Jenner takes a breath and realizes that he either dies in this moment of in nine.

"Brother, this is not the way you do this. We will never get out of here."

"Shane you listen to him," Lori says.

"If he dies then we all die,"

"Ahhh," he screams and moves the barrel away from the doctors face and points it at the computers on the opposite side of Jenner firing four shots before Rick begins struggling for the weapon another up in the air that hits a light sending sparks flying. Then finally Rick gains the upper hand and tears it away from him, hitting the end into his chest and Shane falls to the floor. Rick is about to hit the edge of the weapon into his friend and will do if he doesn't agree to stop, "Are you done now? Are you done?"

"I guess we all are," Shane says.

Rick walks away from Shane giving T-Dog the gun and looks at his sister hanging onto Daryl's arm right now, realizing that she had found comfort with the Dixon. He then looks to Carl and Sophia, "I think you are lying."

"What?"

"You're lying. About no hope, if that were try you would of bolted with the rest of taken the easy way out. You choose the hard path. Why?"  
>"It doesn't matter."<p>

"It does matter, it always matters." Rick says trying to get the doctor to see the sensible thing to do. "You stayed when the other's ran. Why?"

"Not because I wanted to, I made a promise. To her," he pointed at the screen. "My wife."

Daryl pulled away from her but before he left he said to her softly, "We are getting out of here,"

"Test subject 19 was your wife," Lori stated.

"She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no," and the sounds of Daryl hitting the door became the background noise.

"She was dying. It should have been me on that table, it wouldn't of matter to anybody. She was a lost to the world, hell, she ran this place. I just worked here. In our field, she was an Einstein and me, I'm just Edwin Jenner. She could have done something about this not me."

"Your wife didn't have a choice you do. That's all we want-a choice. A chance."

"Let us keep trying as long as we can," Lori said.

"I told you top side is locked down, I can't open those." And Jenner went over to his computer to type in the passcode that opened the doors.

The door fell and Daryl screams, "Come on,"

Jessi looks at the clock with less than 5 minutes, 4 minues and thirty seconds to be exact. then Jenner and thought that she wanted to live because she had her brother, nephew, and Daryl to live for. And she thought if she would even try stay Daryl would pick her up and carry up to top-side.

Almost everyone begins to rush to the door and Jessi joins Daryl in being the closest to the emergency exist stair case.

"We got four minutes left come on," Glenn screams.

T- Dog pushes Jacqui forward bring her with him saying lets go and she suddenly says no. "No, I'm staying. I'm staying sweetie."

"But that's insane." T- Dog says and tries to grab her and pull her along again.

"No for the first time in a long time. I'm not ending up like Jim and Amy. Its no time to argue and no point not if you want to get out. Just get out. Get out,"

Jessi feels Daryl grab her arm and pull her toward the staircase and she thinks to herself 'if this is what Jacqui wants then she deserves to have it."

"Let's go. Let's go," Shane shouts and Daryl pushes the door open and pushes Jessi through saying, "Ladies first,"

They both are climbing up the steps in the dark with Jessi's flashlight providing just enough light so they would not trip on any of the steps but don't hear the others coming after them, Jessi wants to stop and find out and wait for them but Daryl keeps pushing her forward.

A few seconds later she hears others climbing the steps as well and the feeling of relief rushes over.

She saw the sign for the ground floor after four flights of steps, Daryl was ready to run up another set when he saw the G sign as well.

They pushed opened the door and they saw the light from the outside. The others had finally caught up to them and T- Dog when to try to open the doors with the key pad. The others climbed to the next level where the windows are and Daryl and Shane try to break the glass with the axes and the glass is not breaking.

Jessi looked to Daryl and thought we must have about three minutes left. T- Dog tries to shatter the window by hitting a chair with it.

"Its nots going to break," Jessi screamed and Shane comes over and fires a shot at the window with his shot gun.

"It's bullet proof?!" Jessi yelled.

'Jesus' she heard Shane say.

"The glass won't break," Sophia said scared.

"Rick, I have something that might help," Carol said reaching in her bag to find that precious item that she knew was still in there if only she could find it.

"Carol, I don't think a nail file will do it," Shane said.

"You're first morning in camp when I washed your uniform. I found this in your pocket." She brought out a grenade in her shaky hands.

Rick grabs the grenade and screams everyone to get back and prays for if this does not open it nothing will.

Rick pulls the pin and releases the handel and yells, "Oh shit," and the grenade blows up with the force sending her brother to the ground.

Sounds of the boom then breaking glass tell them all that it works and Daryl pulls Jessi to her feet and they climb up on the ledge and begin to get out of the damn CDC.

As they run out careful not to trip over bodies Rick and Shane shoot and kill two walkers, with Daryl decapitating another as they race to their vehicles. They each run to the vehicles they arrive in and Jessi opens the passenger door of Daryl's truck before getting in and lying down on the seat knowing there are only seconds before the explosion.

Daryl opens the door and jumps on top of Jessi.

BEEP BEEP are the sounds that are heard before the explosion.

The ground shakes with the explosion and the fireball explodes the CDC. Jessi covers her ears tighter and the finally Daryl gets off of her.

Jessi looks at the former CDC up in flames as Daryl turns the key and engine roared to life. She felt Daryl's hand on her knee and she looked into his eyes before closing them and taking a breath to steady herself.

Jessi opened as she felt the truck move and Daryl's fingers tap her knee as a means of comfort and bring her back to reality.

_**Hi I'm finally back, in time for the new season. I was watching the marathon today and thought i should update now that i found my notebook with all my ideas including what is in the next chapter about what happened to the Vatos. I will try to upload it within a week but don't quote me on that since i am taking AP Classes this year (AP Euro and Econ). I was rather rushed this time so sorry for spelling and grammer errors. **_

_**When i was righting this chapter i could not help to think the actor that plays Jenner always gets the part where the audience is suppose to hate him like in Super Eight and White Collar.  
><strong>_

_**The fangirl in me can't wait for another hour for the new season to start. Thank you to everyone that reviewed and followed since the last time i updated :). Right now i am debating if I should let Sophia live and not be found within the barn.  
><strong>_

_**Thanks again and until next time Yours truly Morti  
><strong>_


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Jessi watched out the window as they made their way away from the previous CDC knowing the noise will cause perhaps thousands of walkers to come that way. She quickly wiped her eyes of tears knowing right now was not the time or the place for them. Jessi reached for her backpack, happy, she did not take anything out of it and now had added more ammo, a gun, holster, clips, toilet paper, food, and water. Daryl watched her as she was searching for something in her bag and as she was moving he saw the gold chain on her neck making him happy that she had not taken it off and forgot it inside the CDC.

She brought out her new Glock 19, its clip, a box of ammo, and the holder for that gun. Opening the box she started adding 15 rounds to the clip, pushing them in one by one.

"How much stuff do you have in that bag?" He asked. "Must weigh a ton," he muttered.

"Too much, I will have to empty it when we find a safe place. I got more ammo and another gun as you can see. I want to keep this gun a secret from everyone else other than you."

"Fine then best keep that under your clothes,"

"Great minds think alike," she said sliding the clip into the gun and putting the safety on.

She undid belt and put the new holder on it right in the small of her back and slid that in. Now she had two guns on her belt just in case and put everything away as they were driving on a road with a few houses on the sides. As they continued driving, more houses lined the roads.

Jessi was staring out the window, when she caught the sight of two walkers more than 200 yards away behind a fence stumbling around but then turning to come to the sounds on the road.

"Daryl walkers," she said taking her gun from her hip out and taking it off safety knowing that if there are two around here then there might possible be more around.

"They won't be a bother to us," he said as he pushed the gas pedal more to close the gap between them and T-Dog's van.

They continued to drive and they keep seeing a few walkers always more than a 100 yards away from the line of vehicles.

"Jess, if you see any less than 12 feet away I want you to shoot," he said needing some sort of plan if that would happen.

"Okay,"

She looked in her side mirror to see Shane's Jeep in the back of them before turning back to Daryl. "Wonder where we are going now?" she asked herself out loud.

"No clue,"

"I'm going to need to stop talking to myself, it's a habit I must have got from living by myself."

"You also talk in your sleep. You say some pretty interesting things."

"What did I say?" She said as highly noticeable blush came across her face and she could feel the heat rise to her face.

"No way I'm tellin' you," he said while giving her a mischievous smile.

"Daryl, I mean it. What did I say?" and she gazed up into the rear view mirror to see four black blurs in the mirror. She blinked to refocus her eyes and she saw four walkers surround Shane's Jeep and her smile and heat quickly dropped from her face.

"Daryl!" she screamed and he looked back to see what scared her. He saw at least ten walkers surround Shane's Jeep as Shane was still trying accelerate his way through the bunch of walkers. The walkers had begun to be too much for the Jeep to push through and they were trying to grab Shane through the open sections of his jeep.

Daryl pounded the horn and as soon as he let off it, they heard the first sound of gun shots.

They both started screaming and Daryl continued to beep the horn for almost a minute as they both tried to watch what was going on behind him though Daryl would not turn back to help him. The RV made a U- turn and raced back to help Shane.

Daryl keep driving and they looked back to see the RV coming back towards them and soon again took the lead.

30 minutes later

Jessi watched as the others were coming to a stop near brick buildings and Daryl muttered, "We' re here again,"

"Where's here?"

"Nursing home with the people that took Glenn,"

"And the people you are mad at since my brother gave guns too."

"Yes,"

"Keep close,"

"Why? You don't trust them do you?"

"No, I don't trust easily," he said before pushing his door open and they both got outside. Everyone who had a weapon held it at a ready just in case they needed them, even Glenn who looked odd with a shot gun. Jessi held hers pointed down

Jessi could hear Andrea ask, "I bet they are barely hanging on, what makes you think they will take in strangers?" which was true resources now were scarce.

"With all the guns we gave them, they will probably throw us a party," Daryl said as they all consolidated into a group. "Good call- for once,"

Everyone had to cline through old knocked out windows from the structures with no roof from many years ago. As they all climbed through and looked around, Glenn asked, "Where are all the lookouts?" with knowing how these people guarded this place.

They continued rounding a few corners with Shane and Rick first then everybody else coming around next to see a sight they each would not believe. There were bodies on the ground with walkers hunched over ripping pieces off them snacking, Jessi immediately brought up her gun and added her other hand to steady herself better and lined her sight up with the closes one that posed the immediate threat. The walker was a man with ripped clothing in dirty, ripped jeans with dried blood coating them.

"Son of a bitch," Shane hissed and all the others raised their weapons other than Dale

She could hear Carl and Sophia gulp and start crying and knew that their mothers had turned them away and hiding their small faces in their mother's warm bodies.

The sounds of footsteps, cries, and talking let the walkers know they were not alone and they looked up from the dead corpses they were previously snacking on to newer, fresher meat. They stood up with many still holding and chewing parts of their previous victim.

Jessi could feel her last meal in her stomach rise and had to gulp it down so she would not get sick and to help steady her hand.

"To the hell with the noise," Rick said and started firing at the walkers.

Jessi took down the man first then moved away from the men to over where the women and children were crunched over to make to make sure that no walkers would sneak up behind them and had to take out two before they got to close.

It only took a few seconds for the gun fire to stop since there was not many of them and they had seven people firing and killing the walkers.

"Come on! On me!" Rick screamed knowing that the sound of gun fire could bring many walkers to where they were standing and they entered the warehouse/garage thing through one door by following Rick. They went through the dark warehouse but soon they had gotten light as they climbed up some steps into an open space and went into bordered up doors. As soon as they were within ten feet of the door, the smell of rotten flesh met each of their noses.

They each came in through the door to see what looked like to be a woman in a night gown with a slash down her leg in the door frame of one of the rooms in this hallway. As they walked in the men cleared each room for living or walkers but found corpses of the older generation on the ground while be told by Rick to keep their voices down. Everyone looked into the rooms and they were in awe and some were terrified like Sophia who let out a cry.

Only to be scolded at by Daryl, "Put a sock in it," which made Sophia let out another cry thinking that the rough man like her father might hit her.

"Leave her alone," Carol said coming to the aid of her daughter and pulling her close to try to comfort her.

"She her up, or I will," Daryl hissed and looked to Jessi who was standing next to Carol and Sophia. He knew by her face that she thought he was tactically right but was bothered by it.

"Back the hell off, I mean now," Lori scolded him all in a whisper. "Are we staying or are we going?" Lori asked her husband knowing that was probably a question on all of their minds.

"We don't have the fuel," her husband responded.

"We hunker down for the night. Rick, you, me and Daryl are going to sweep the building. We'll make sure we are alone." Shane said.

"The rest of you barricade those doors," Rick gave the order as Carol was trying to keep Sophia quiet.

Daryl, Rick, and Shane went o go make sure they were alone.

The adults went into the close rooms finding anything that could be used for the door. Jessi found a piece of broken broom about two feet long and quickly put it through both of the handles on the door before Glenn and T-Dog pushed an empty candy dispenser on its side in front of the doors with Jessi helping them. They added examination tables and other things to the barricade, both of the children sat down together.

As Andrea was adding the last piece to it they heard the sound of breaking glass and sounds of muffled footsteps of a walker followed by the all too familiar moans they make and everybody hunched down behind the barricade.

The hairs on Jessi's arms and back were standing straight up she did not know why that only this one walker scared her as it growling but it soon stumbled away after not hearing any more noise that brought it to this place.

As soon as that walker left, they all got up and ran to find the others.

They came to a sort of auditorium sort of thing with tables set up and more bodies of old people, she went over to an old man in a dark blue robe and saw that this man had been executed with a gun shot. She went over to wall that had three older human bodies. By looking at them she thought of her mother and father and her grandparents. She touched her necklace once and then looked at these people for wounds and they each had gun shots to their heads.

Soon Rick, Shane, and Daryl arrived and Daryl went over to see what Jessi was looking at, the gunshots wounds and said "You noticed too." .

Rick started to explain to the grownups that, "Upstairs is our best bet, we've cleared a few rooms and we can barricade them if we have too." Looking at everyone's faces he said, "We'll be alright,"

"Do you mean it this time? Or are you lying to us like all the times before?" Carol asked with a mopping Sophia sitting on her lap.

"That's unfair and no help at all," Lori said which was try.

"What the hell happen?" Glenn asked wondering how what looked like such a strong of a group could all be dead now.

"What do you think? They got overrun."

"Phew," Daryl blew thinking that his blonde was the dumb one not him.

"Something to say," Andrea asked not liking how the Redneck sounded.

"Yeah, how about observant."

"Observant, a big word from a guy like you; three whole syllables.

"Walkers, did not do this. Geeks didn't show up till after all this went down. Somebody attacked this place, killed all these people. Took whatever they wanted. They all are shot in the head- execution style." At this Rick knelt down to look at an old man who was shot in the head confirming what Daryl had said. "Not worried about walkers, I'd be much more worried about the people who came and did all this." He grabbed the strap of his crossbow and said, "Get a dictionary, look it up. Observant." He said with the last word pointing to himself before storming off and muttering, "These people don't use their eyes. How are those two cops?"

He passed Jessi and gave her a grin before exiting the door knowing that all of these people were actually rather stupid and he had picked the most observant of the bunch.

Night fell quickly and heat of the day had made the stench of the dead bodies even worse and now they were cooped up inside for the rest of the night. They had made it to a store room and all most everybody was staying in that room that was lit by a few candles and a lantern. She now knew that Jacqui had taken Jenner's offer out and Andrea would have if not for Dale.

Jessi was sitting on the ground between Dale and Glenn with a deck of cards she found, shuffling them over and over again trying to keep her hands busy though her stomach could probably be heard by half the room and her throat was parched. She had some food and water in her bag but she did not want to bring it out, not just yet.

"They ransacked the kitchen, all we found is one can," Shane said before tossing it to Daryl who easily caught it.

"They hit the dispensary too. Tore its door off its hinges took everything except this." Rick handing his wife a box of something.

Glenn got out a few paper plates as Daryl said, "So we've came back for cough drops and garbanzo beans," Daryl before opening the can who passed it to Glenn who would try to evenly distribute the food among the number of people there..

"What are garbanzo beans?" Carl asked his mother.

"Is there any water?" Sophia asked.

Shane brought out a single bottle and flipped it in his hand before standing up and coming over to give it to Carol who would give to Sophia, "Just the one bottle I brought. Just a few sips, okay hun. We have to make it last, it go for everybody. Okay?"

"What else you got in there?" Andrea asked.

Shane brought something out and shook it, they were peanuts.

"Courtesy of the CDC. Huh, thought I would be having midnight snakes in my air conditioned room. Didn't know it would be dinner," he said as he tossed Jessi a package of 4 peanut butter crackers. "Last thing," he said bring out a bottle of wine.

"Is that to share?" Daryl asked with his mouth full of beans.

"Seeing is how I owe you my life, I guess I'm going to go head and be nice to you now on," Shane said while handing it over to him.

"I do think I have earned the first swallow," he said before starting to open that up as well.

"You guys go easy on that stuff, lets not forget where we are," Lori said.

"Yes ma'am," Daryl said taking a swallow of it first. "Now, that I remember better was the one that noticed first," he said coming over to sit next to her and handing it to her.

"Just keep stealing my alcohol, Daryl," she said.

"I did not now you drank so much, Jessi," Rick said.

"No, I really don't. Just a few sips but last night everyone was drinking heavily the only one who didn't was little Sophia over there. Even your son had his first sip thanks to Dale. Remember your hang over this morning, O-brother dearest?" She said before taking a sip of the tart strong wine before passing it back to Shane next to her and returned her hand to the floor where Daryl had put his. They touched for a few seconds before they both pulled away and finished eating their beans or chick peas.

Dale took over a plate of beans to Andrea with some chips and asked her if she was all right?"

Everyone could over hear this conversation between these two as Andrea, "Why wouldn't I be. I am spending a night in a building that stinks so badly of rotten bodies that I want to vomit up my guts, dining on condiments, and hoping I don't get eaten by dead cannibal freaks before dawn. What's not to like?" "Thank you Dale,"

Dale went out to deliver food to T-Dog who was out on watch at the stair well.

"What's next?" Lori asked. "We need to decide.

"Fort Benning, Rick." Shane said and Rick nodded.

"Fort Benning," Lori repeated.

"I should of listen to you Shane. Would of saved us a lot of grief if I had. Jacqui would still be alive."

"It was her choice man, do not take that on"

"It was her choice, it was her decision to make not yours. No more than what it was for Jim," Lori said

"All these people, who would of done something like this. Just come in here and murder everyone, including all the old people. How sick is that?" Glenn asked and it disturbed Sophia who went to her mother's arms for comfort.

"Is this something we need to be discussing right now?" Lori asked

"Better if we all got some sleep," Shane said before all the men walked outside the room probably to talk about Fort Benning, to scold Glenn, and to talk about what lies ahead.

Jessi grabbed her bag and found a nice corner, to lean against, and used what she found in this building to get comfortable which was one towel she found in a cupboard to use as a pillow. She took off both of her weapons and put the extra one in a small space between her and the wall and the other right beside her. She took out her notebooks and a pen and with the help of a small reading light she would begin to make the changes needed in the notebook.

Taking out her med journal she wrote in Jacqui space: dead before going on to the actual one.

She had no idea where to begin to write down her deepest feelings and she thought it would be best to start with :

_ Its been a 196 days since the walker virus has started with the first case somewhere over seas and 65 since it went global and arrived in the US. _

_ Since the last I wrote yesterday many things have happened and I will try to start at the beginning when we arrived at the CDC._

_ When we arrived at the building, it looked all but deserted. There were hundreds of bodies lying dead on the grounds surrounding the building and another military cordon had been overrun. The doors were locked and shuttered and since it was getting dark we needed to get out of there. We could not be this close to the city and we had hardly any gas left to escape if we were going to try. As a few walkers had taken noticed to us, we needed to make a choice and everyone other than Rick wanted to leave for he saw the security camera move._

_ Thank god, it was not an automotive device and someone was controlling it for the doors came open and we saw a blinding light._

_ We went inside and met a man named Dr. Jenner. _

_ We had to each submit to a blood test for entry and we did and we soon would be making dinner. The dinner was the best thing that I had eaten since before the world gone to hell. But while the food was being prepared, I decided to go exploring through the building. I found guns, ammo, whiskey, and two condoms. Yep, Daryl and I would eventually sleep together later that night._

_ After Daryl and I-uhm- did it. Yes, writing it still makes me sound like a teenage girl. I am happy that we finally did though I hope I do not get pregnant but it is unlikely since I was on birth control shot before and I should still be protected. I would not want to raise a child in this world. Though I would like for someone in my family to read this one day, maybe Daryl._

_ Daryl gave me his mother's necklace. It is a beautiful and I never went to take it off in fear of misplacing it._

_ When I went to check on our blood that Jenner took, he told me about how many days that this has been going. But before that I found Rick stumbling to his room, my brother would have a decent size hang over in the morning. I told him that Shane and Lori were having an affair though I do not know what my brother will remember from our little discussion._

_ In the morning, Jenner showed us TS-19. She is, was, Jenner's wife who got bite and wanted him to study the virus. The virus after killing the person restarts the brainstem. He told us that he does not know what this is and no one might never be able to treat it. It was the French that were able to hold on the longest and that Jenner said they thought they were close to a cure but the ran out of fuel and the CDC would too._

_ Jenner locked us in the main computer room after Rick went down to find that there was only a little gas left, a little more than 30 minutes._

_ He told us that this would be easier and we argued for twenty some minutes before Jenner finally opened the door. This is when Jacqui, Andrea, and Jenner chose suicide but Dale stayed behind to convince Andrea that she needed to live. _

_ I did think about staying for a few seconds but I know my family needed me. My brother and nephew need me and I did not think Daryl would have allowed me to stay._

_ We eventually got out with the help Carol bringing out a grenade and giving it to Rick._

_ As we were driving away when Shane was attacked by walkers and then we drove to the nursing home with the people that took Glenn._

_ When we got here, where I am writing now, we saw walkers eating the dead bodies. Of course, we took them out and then went inside since it would be safer there._

_ Daryl and Andrea had at on the word observant. He pointed out that not many people use their eyes since the Vatos were shot in the heads before the walkers were eating them. That was rather funny though._

_ Dinner was chick peas and other salty snacks. That was not rather filling and barely any water._

_ I am tired and I need sleep. I could sleep for a week straight if no one would wake me up._

Jessi looked at the writing she just did and let the ink dry for a few seconds before closing her notebook and putting it back in her bag. The others had come in other than T-Dog who was on first watch.

With only few candles light for light Daryl moved over to where Jessi was lying down.

"Hum," he sounded as he pushed his shoulder into her lightly.

"Night," she said.

He wrapped his arm over her waist and pulled her closer to him. "That's better," he said in a yawn before they both fell asleep.

**Thank you everyone who has followed and/or favored my story. I hope you are as happy with the new season as i am as well.**

**On to season 2 next chapter  
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	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Shane walked back into the room where everyone was still sleeping but some pale light was starting to come through the bordered up windows as dawn was approaching. He had just pulled a four hour watch shift since he could not sleep and would rather be doing something then lying on the ground thinking about Lori. He looked around and saw the sleeping Carl, a boy he loved as his son and Lori, sleeping next to him. He knew that he loved her and he needed her. He looked away from Lori, knowing that if he stared longer than he might not be able to control himself and his gaze fell on Daryl and Jessi.

Daryl had his arm wrapped around her but she had pulled away from Daryl in her sleep.

Anger filled Shane as he watched them for a few seconds. He knew that Daryl must have forced himself on her, a woman who was basically his little sister.

In a split second Shane made the distance from the door to where those two were sleeping and grabbed Daryl underneath the arms and pulled them apart. He started yelling at him screaming, "You bastard keep your filthy inbred hands off her," as he pulled him away from her but Daryl would not let go of her and dragged her with him.

Jessi woke up as she felt someone pulling her tightly and being dragged against the ground. Then she was let go for Shane had kicked Daryl in the side.

She opened her eyes to see Shane trying to pin Daryl down on the ground and giving him a punch in the face while a still sleepy Daryl was struggling.

"Shane! Shane! Stop!" She screamed going and grabbing Shane and trying to pull him away from Daryl. Shane was obviously a lot stronger than her but she was still trying to pull him away from Daryl.

Shane pushed Jess back as she tried to pull him away from Daryl. He wondered what this prick did to get her to fight for him so much.

Jessi scrambled on all fours to the place where she had sat her gun before, grabbing it, cocked it, and held it up in front of her and pointed it at Shane's chest and he noticed her doing this and stopped moving.

By then everyone had woken up from the ruckus and thinking that walkers or the people that killed the Vatos had come back and gotten inside. They all saw that Shane was trying to strangle Daryl.

Rick and Glenn rushed in and pulled the sudden limp Shane away from Daryl. For once they were not restraining Daryl for attacking someone but someone attacking Daryl.

"What the hell Shane?" She screamed but had dropped her weapon to her side.

"I thought you said you were going to be nice to me," Daryl rubbing his neck where Shane's hands were just a few seconds ago and as Jessi started to approach to check Daryl out.

"That's before I found out about you and Jessi." Everyone looked to Jessi and could not believe their ears that Jessi somebody good and nice was with Daryl Dixon, a mean, volatile, cruel red neck who will quickly resort to violence when threatened. "Where do you think you are going?" he said catching her and pulling her into him. "He won't touch you again," he said thinking somehow Daryl had threatened her or black mailed her to be with him.

"Shane, you don't understand. Shane, Shane," she yelled struggling to get free of him. 'Let me go," she said ripping out of his arms and pushing him back.

By then Daryl had gotten to his feet and managed to get across the room to where Jessi was standing. "I don't know what we have but I am with him."

Rick was watching his sister and Daryl since the CDC when he saw that Jessi was hanging on Daryl's arm. He had noticed how when they ate their dinner of chickpeas how they had gotten close. He did not like the man but he had only had known him for a few days while Jessi had known him much longer. He was happy that she had finally moved on from Kevin but she did not see why she had went for him. Maybe opposites do really attract or Jessi saw something of the Daryl that he kept buried. "Shane, she is old enough to make her own decisions."

"No, she isn't. Jessi, please think about this before you get too serious with him." Shane said

"They should stay out our business," Daryl turned and mumbled to her.

"We already have done it." She said, "You-" she stopped herself mid-sentence almost saying that Shane should be taking his own advice about being with Lori. She could not say that in front of Carl, it would just confuse the boy.

All the adults looked at Jessi and Daryl in shock and knew what they had done while Carl and Sophia did not understand. Andrea and Carol did not understand how someone could even like someone of the Dixon family based on how they acted. T-Dog wondered how in the hell did Daryl charm Jessi. Dale's prediction of them came true. Glenn had no idea how that was even possible wondering how she could even stand being that close to Daryl. Lori looked at her sister in law and wished that she had waited as long as Jessi had in trying to find love again, even with the world crashing down around them.

"She can make up her own mind," Daryl said and Jessi grabbed a hold of his arm.

"Daryl if you hurt her in any way, I swear walkers will be the least of your worries." Rick said seeing Jessi openly touching Daryl but had seen in the past so many hours that any time he was threatened or impatient with somebody he would try to kill or punch them. He did not want him to hurt Jessi in that way or abuse her.

"Jess, you have never had a good choice in men," Shane said.

"That was only once. You liked Kevin,"

"He is not a good choice," Shane said pointing to Daryl

"Why do you think I did not want to tell you all?" I did not want to have this argument about who I should date or sleep with. I'm with Daryl because I want to be. He is not forcing me to do anything I do not want to do." She walked over, stepped into her shoes, and grabbed her bag and then walked out of the room going to take up the next watch.

Daryl soon came and found her on the top of the steps and she turned around as soon as she heard someone's footsteps.

"Hey," she said seeing Daryl not wanting it to be Rick or Shane coming to scold her. She smiled but then looked down at her feet.

"They are the same color as yesterday," Daryl said and sat down next to her. "You got your wish of them knowing now. Hope you are happy," he said touching his slightly sore neck.

"Let me check that out for you," she said standing up and placing her hands on his shoulders slightly before moving them in.

"I'll be fine," he said but stopped his protest as she started to rub the top of his back and move towards his neck.

She smiled and thought of a good remark of, "I know you are fine," she said and waited for him to catch on to what she just said.

"I was having a good dream before Shane.,," Daryl said.

She interrupted him before he could finished his sentence saying, "I'm sorry he did that and I'm surprised all my brother said was that if you hurt me, walkers would be the least of your worries," she said continue rubbing his neck slightly.

"I'm not worried about him or hurting you," Daryl said and grabbed her hands to make her stop which she did.

"Jess, listen to what I say and don't interrupt me. If ever we run into a group of survivors like the ones that came here, you have the best chance at surviving out of all of us. You tell them that you are a nurse. Something valuable to any group. You don't worry about me or anyone else you just make sure you survive." He said putting a sing soft kiss on her lips and grabbing her face with big hands. He traced her left check with his right thumb and noticed one spot on it that was redder than the others. He touched it softly and she winced, she had not noticed it until then. Shane arm or hand had must of made contract with her check sometime during the struggle, he thought. He watched as she turned her head and put a single kiss on his palm.

Daryl kept her company while she finished up her three hour watch thinking about what Daryl had said to her. Luckily they had no one come get them until Glenn came to relieve them. He told Jessi that Rick wanted to see her.

They went back into the room where everyone was and went over to see Rick who told her that they were going to Fort Benning tomorrow. He gave her the box of cough drops that he found in the dispensary earlier and told her to add them to her med-bag.

"My med bag?

"Yeah the one that I brought into the CDC for you," Rick said and watched as her faced dropped as she thought about the last time she saw that blue bag of hers.

"I didn't take it with me when we were escaping the CDC. Shit!" She said sliding her hand over her face. "Everything was in there!" She hissed. "The drugs, bandages, sutures. Everything." She said, "This is bad," she said grabbing her head in frustration and threw them down at her sides.

"Jess, maybe Daryl or someone else got it?" Rick said not wanting his sister to panic.

The others who were sort of paying attentions said know they did not grab Jessi's med-bag.

"What do we got now?" Rick asked knowing that it now was useless to think about.

"A small first aid kit with the very basics, anything that anyone else brought, and my inhaler that I keep in my bag?"

"An inhaler?" That's just great." Shane said.

"I was too worried about being blown up, I'm sorry I did not grab the bag." She said giving him a hatred filled look.

"Why do you have an inhaler Aunt Jessi?" Carl asked.

"I have asthma, kid, luckily it only gets worse in the winter, sometimes in extreme heat, or when I over exert myself." "I'm going to make sure you did not miss anything last night, Shane." She said and left.

All she found was a clean wash cloth, ducktape, and a bar of soap in the whole building before she went back to the group.

All the adults were waiting for her to make a better plan for tomorrow.

"We will leave at first light tomorrow," Rick said.

"We are dropping a few cars anyone want to volunteer theirs?" Shane asked.

They decided on taking Carol's, the RV, and Daryl's motorcycle. The next order of business was them going outside and having to take out anything that was not needed anymore. Jim's canoe and stuff, Jacqui's things, and anything else that was not so essentially.

They needed to get ready for tomorrow and that included Jessi who emptied out her book bag that had to way close to fifty pounds. At the end, she kept her water bottle, two journals with a pencil, eraser, and a pen, box of ammo, small first aid kit, an old tiny box that she had put a few of her old pictures of her family and friends and an old letter, and five granola bars. These were the things that were most important to her and could not be left behind by her if they ever had to leave really quick.

She was finishing up her bag, as she felt Daryl's arms wrap around her waist and pulled her right into him. He started kissing her neck as she laid both her hands on his. He stopped and turned her to face him. "Didn't know you had asthma," he said.

"I guess I never brought it up. It's fine as long as I don't overdo it and have my inhaler."

His brought his hand down to her neck and touched the chain of the necklace he gave her. He would never show this side if the others were in the room- they were alone.

"Now that you mention it, my chest does feel a little bit tight. But I think that is because I think I am around you." She said kissing him.

Daryl picked her up and moved her to a chest of drawers. He started to unbutton her blouse slowly.

"Daryl, are you sure you want to use the other condom?" She said in a husky voice.

"No, but we can do many other things that don't require that."

_**Sorry guys, I have been busy with school but not now for I am on Christmas Break. Also i had writers block and was on cloud 9 for a few weeks because Norman Reedus followed me on Twitter. Hope everyone enjoyed the first part of the Third Season and February cannot come fast enough. **_

_**Morti  
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